Love, Life And The Bering Sea
by DeadliestCatchChick87
Summary: Josh Harris/OC *Rated M/M for content and language* Josh Harris and Skye Christensen have been a couple for 2 years. A new crab season is on the horizon and it'll challenge them in more ways than one. Can they make it through family, addiction, and loss?
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: Deadliest Catch: Josh Harris/OC *Rated M/M for content and language* Josh Harris and Skye Christensen have been a couple for 2½ years. A new crab season is on the horizon and it'll challenge them in more ways than one. Can they make it through family, addiction, and loss? And what of Josh's struggles to the wheelhouse. Includes real life events from the show as well as fictional. King Crab '09-Opis '12 (Seasons 6, 7 & 8). **_**After the Catch**_ **included (Seasons 6 and 7).**

 **Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN THE GUYS OF DEADLIEST CATCH! Only own my OC Skye and Seasons 4-7on DVD!**

 **A/N: Has flashbacks to Season 3. I use a lotta initials for the boats, but only for the** _ **Time Bandit (TB), Cornelia Marie (CM), & Northwestern (NW).**_ **FYI, a "bait setup" kinda explains itself but unlike normal fishing, the deckhands use cod (the whole fish) and special sacks and/or jars filled with chopped up herring, squid, sardines an stuff like that. They come in frozen blocks and are put through a special grinder. Also, you can look up pics of all of Josh's tats if you need more of a visual. You can look up images of what a Scots thistle is and Caledonia means Scotland in Latin.** __ **It's gonna be a pretty long story, cuz it covers so much, but it'll be worth it!**

 **Chapter 1**

King Crab '09! Skye Christensen was already aboard the F/V Time Bandit, preparing for her 5th year on the Bering Sea. Back in 2005, she'd come aboard to be the boats new cook. Her duties included: cooking meals, keeping the galley and kitchen clean, and completing any other chore that might need doing. Every so often, she'd venture out on deck and assist with bait set ups for the crab pots. Her stature was quite small: standing only 5'6" with a petite yet hourglass shaped frame. Her pixie style dark brown hair was streaked with red. Her eyes were a mysterious mix of brown and green and her skin was a creamy magnolia white. She often joked that she lacked the ability to tan and that she had a "Scarlett O'Hara" skin tone. In all, she looked like a girl out of a country music video instead a deckhand. While the guys were readying the boat for launch, she was down in the galley making the boats' grocery list. Overlooking the slightly crumpled piece of paper on the galley table, she was surprise to be lifted off her feet. The sudden action was followed by a deep voice in her ear, "Hey pretty lady." She laughed as she kissed the owner of the voice's cheek before responding, "Baby put me down. I gotta finish this." The culprit was her boyfriend of 3 years, Josh Harris. Josh's looks were a much different story compared to her own. At 6', he stood a good half a foot above Skye's head. He possessed very tan skin, partly due to his Polynesian/Chinese roots. He sported somewhat spiky jet black hair and chocolate brown eyes. He was slender yet slightly muscular due to life as a fisherman. He had a black goatee and a thin beard that ran the length of his jaw. He also sported 2 silver barbell hoop gauges. Although they both had their fair share of tattoos. Josh had Chinese type symbols on both shoulders and an odd barcode like piece on the outside of his forearm. When she asked him what it meant, he simply told her that it had to do with his dad, Captain Phil. He also had a very large tribal design on the back of his neck between his shoulder blades. Skye had about the same amount of ink as Josh. The first was on her right shoulder. Its design wasn't too elaborate: just the name "Lizzie" in cursive & shaded lettering, encircled by a yellow ribbon. It was a memorial to her sister Elizabeth who'd passed away a year before her birth. The 2nd was on her left forearm and was merely the phrase: "No Day but Today". It looked like the words off a movie poster, and was the partial lyrics to a song from the movie _Rent_. And the 3rd was her ode to her Scottish heritage. It was a purple Scots thistle with "Caledonia" written underneath in cursive. It was placed on her right shoulder blade. She kissed him softly, then turned back to the table (her feet now back on the floor). Josh rested his chin on her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her curvy waist. "You ready for tomorrow?" she asked. "Part of me is and part of me ain't," he said sadly. Josh loved being a crabber, it was in his blood. But, he hated leaving Dutch knowing that Skye wouldn't be by his side until the final trip home. Sensing the sadness in his voice; she turned and gently kissed his lips.

"I know baby. But, we've been over this. John and Andy need me for one more season, and then we'll both be on the Cornelia for Opi's." He flashed her a smile and shared another kiss with his girl.

Before the season began, Skye had asked her captains (Johnathan and Andy Hillstrand) if she could work for Captain Phil Harris on the _Cornelia Marie_ starting in Opi's 2010. They agreed to let her go, knowing that she wanted to begin spending her crab seasons with Josh.

Josh couldn't help but keep that smile on his face, while still holding Skye. He loved the way she gave him peace of mind, even if it meant being miles away. Her words soon echoed in his mind: "Baby, remember what I always tell you? When you're out there, your job comes first not me. You can't be gettin' hung up on us, or else people get hurt." She understood that he was a deckhand and that being apart came with his (and her) job. She also knew of the cold relentlessness the Bering Sea doled out each year and that focus was key. He snapped out of his thoughts as he remembered what he'd come to ask her, "Hey babe, are you gonna be ready to go soon?" Ever since their relationship became serious, Josh would take a break from deck work and drive over to the TB and assist Skye with whatever was needed. Then they'd sort of sneak off to spend the rest of the day together. The only ones who knew of their seasonal tradition were Johnathan and Phil. Phil of course being the more reluctant one.

"Hells yea! Just lemme get my stuff," she announced, kissing him on the cheek and walked back to her bunk. She grabbed a black CM hoodie (that used to belong to Josh), pulled on her boots, also stashing her wallet, phone and aviator sunglasses into her pocket. She was already dressed in her favorite jeans and a _Time Bandit_ long-sleeve tee. She yanked the hoodie over her head as she walked back out to Josh. "Aight let's do this," she said excitedly, covering her eyes with her shades. Once they were on the road, she gently took hold of Josh's hand letting her thoughts drift.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Btw, Josh being with Skye like this would NOT happen! They'd technically be too busy for it! Maybe they could've that night. And there are 3 Hillstrand brothers: Johnathan (who's the oldest), Andy, and Neal (the youngest). They have two other brothers but I'm not sure what they do. As for the crew members, there's Scotty (who is John's son), Mike (Mikey) Fourtner, Eddie Uwekoolani, and John (J.J) Jorgensen. Also, at the beginning of this season, the Harris brothers had been fighting constantly so Josh had briefly considered going over on the Time Bandit that season.**

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN THE GUYS! Only my OC**

 **Chapter 2**

Hearing the truck engine shut off, Skye realized that they'd reached their destination. She turned to face Josh, but was met by a strange look. "Baby girl are you ok?" he asked.

"Yea baby, I'm fine. Why?"

"Well, you were quiet the whole ride. Are you getting nervous?"

"No hun. I'm good."

Josh reached over and placed a sweet kiss on her lips. "Ready?" he asked. "Let's do this!"

They hopped out of the truck, making their way into the only grocery store in Dutch. While Skye manned the list, Josh retrieved the cart. He followed behind her but began gritting his teeth after handing over the cart. Instead of the sweet serenity Skye usually graced him with, his mind wouldn't allow it. That morning, he and Jake had been once again at each other's throats. They'd been disagreeing about the most minor things lately. Both brothers were at the end of their ropes. Josh had grown tired of Jake's arrogant ways. He wanted to prove that he could be just as good a deckhand as Jake, though his brother often ruined his shining moments. He was proud of his younger brother and looked up to him often. But he knew Jake's biggest flaw was his ego. The only saving grace was the few short hours he'd be spending with Skye. Keeping his thoughts at bay, he was sent off in search of items off the list. After retrieving the last armload from the freezer section, he found Skye scouring the shelves for the boys' favorite snack foods (the last on the list). She always made sure she fulfilled: Mikey's addiction to Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes and Honey Chex Mix, Scotty's never-ending hankering for Doritos (Nacho Cheese) and Star Crunch cakes, Eddie's need for Hershey Cookies n Cream bars and Ruffles Chips, J.J's Little Debbie's (Fudge rounds, Zebra Cakes, and Oatmeal Crème Pies), and lastly the Hillstrand brothers (all 3 of them) cravings for Honey Buns, Nutty Buddies and Double Stuff Oreos. For herself, she got Milk Duds, Swiss Rolls, and Sour Cream n Cheddar Ruffles. She also made sure to stock up on plenty of ice cream (Neapolitan only), whip cream, and chocolate syrup. Josh dropped the items over the side of the cart and replaced them with her waist, wanting to forget about his troubles with Jake. She chuckled when she realized that he was holding her. "Damn baby, aren't we inna lovey mood today?" "Yea," he responded in an off put tone. Skye whipped around toward him, with Josh's eyes pointed to the floor. She touched his face, but his eyes refused to meet with hers. "Josh? Joshua, baby look at me," she said gently. He finally gazed up at her, a solemn look plastering his face. She immediately made a beeline for the checkout then out to the truck. Now it was Skye's turn to be concerned as they loaded up the last bags. Taking her place in the passenger seat, she waited as Josh climbed in next to her. Before he could turn the key, she stopped him.

"Aight hun. Talk to me. What's wrong?"

He sighed, "Its Jake. I feel like everything's an argument! Plus, we were fightin right before I came to see you. So I was thinkin about maybe goin on another boat for a while." He leaned his head back against the headrest, gripping the steering wheel.

Knowing how he and Jake butted heads, she tried to give him the best advice.

"Honey you know as well as I do that the _Cornelia's_ the only boat you've ever wanted to work on. But if you feel like you need a change, that's up to you."

He blew a sigh a relief. "You're right baby. I'm just done fighin with him."

"I know love, but let your dad handle it okay? Cuz we both know if you do, someone's gonna get murdered!" she said sarcastically, before reaching over and pecking him on the cheek. Josh laughed as they took off. Even though they were both ready to be alone, they still had a truck load of groceries to deliver.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: 1st Love Scene ahead! But it's not as intense as some of the others will be later**

 **Chapter 3**

Arriving back at the dock, Josh and Skye hurried to get the TB's fridge and cabinets filled. While Josh hauled the bags from the truck into the galley, Skye emptied them. It also helped that JJ and Scotty assisted Josh outside, while Mikey and Eddie helped Skye. In about an hour and a half, the task was complete. Soon upon arrival, the couple took off again.

Entering their favorite burger joint, they spotted their usual table. Luckily, the place wasn't full and they were served in no time. Josh ordered a large bacon cheeseburger, while Skye got mushrooms and provolone. They shared an order of fries and they both sipped on Mountain Dews. Sitting in that restaurant, Skye couldn't be happier. Not only had she landed her dream job, but she'd also landed the love of her life. And the best part: NO CAMERAS! She adored being on "Deadliest Catch", but sometimes she got sick of having a camera in her face 24/7 while in Dutch. So, she'd specifically told their cameramen, Tim and Todd (as well as others), when they weren't allowed to film her and Josh. "Someone's in a good mood," commented Josh, noticing how joyful she'd become. She laughed, "I'm just glad that we're finally alone, just you and me." She reached across the table, greeting Josh with a tender kiss. Breaking apart, Josh smiled. "Yea me too baby," he replied. They finished up, after sharing a few more kisses and even more laughs. In those moments, Josh had become just as ecstatic as Skye was. He'd forgotten about his plight with Jake, and turned his mind to what few hours he had with his girl. He received her lips on his, as his worries dissolved away, for the time being. He grinned widely and then without warning, Skye caught Josh's mouth in a lip lock that was painted with the words, "I need you now." Josh got the hint and paid the bill, while Skye left the tip. She raced to the truck just ahead of Josh, sitting impatiently in the passenger seat. Josh climbed in after her and roared the engine to life. Without hesitation, he threw the truck into gear, driving towards Dutch Harbor's more rural parts. About 15 minutes passed, and Josh parked the truck in a small sloped clearing just outside a heavily wooded area. The clearing itself was a location that only he and Skye knew of. They'd discovered it during one of their many quests around town. They also referred to it as "The Hill" because of its slight slope.

Josh threw the truck in park and popped the emergency break. They jumped into the back of the cab in a blaze. Josh's erection instantly strained the fabric in his jeans. He fumbled in his wallet for a moment before extracting the condom he'd stuck there that morning. He grabbed Skye's waist so that she was now straddling his slim hips. She crooked her head as she placed kisses down Josh's neck, and gave him a hard nibble on his collar bone. She tugged at the hem of his t-shirt, pulling it over his head. Their tongues became locked in a battle for dominance as they peeled off the remaining layers of clothing. Josh trailed his fingers across Skye's 3 tattoos. She removed Josh's jeans and boxers, his cock springing to full hardness. She trailed down his stomach, placing herself between his legs. She suckled on his inner thigh while pumping his hardened member. Josh threw his head back as pleasure washed over him. Skye kissed the tip before descending on his full length. He moaned loudly, a nonstop chant of "baby don't stop" & "feels so good". She nearly brought him over the edge but stopped short and caught his lips in a steamy kiss. Bringing her off the floor, Josh kissed along Skye's neck and chest, teasing her nipples with his lips, as her hands wound themselves in his soft black hair. She ran her fingers over his own tattoos she thought were so sexy. She moaned out, only to cause him to tease her more. He lifted her hips and shoved 2 fingers into her already wet pussy. "Oh fuck baby!" she screamed, while still slightly pulling on his hair. "You like that baby girl?" he asked, always being the one for dirty talk during love making. "Oh god yes!" she moaned again. She writhed around his fingers like a worm on a hook. "Baby, please! I want you!" she begged. "You want me where?" he asked with a sly yet lustful grin, as he slammed his fingers back into her warm depths. He could tell that Skye couldn't take it anymore, so he slid on the condom. She reached down and yanked out his hand, and positioned herself onto his fully hard cock. She moved her hips in an expert rhythm, riding him hard. "Fuck baby!" he screamed in approval. He arched his back in ecstasy. Skye soon felt that all too familiar tingling in her stomach. She came hard as she yelled Josh's name so loud he swore the panic alarm was going to sound. Pulling her off, he gave a wink and whispered, "My turn now." He laid her down on the seat, pounding into her without skipping a beat. She wrapped her arms around his slightly chiseled torso, scoring his back with her nails. She moaned incoherently, with "oh god baby" being the only distinctable words he could understand. He pulled out and came all over her stomach, also yelling her name. He turned them over, covered in sweat and stickiness. Exhausted, they lacked the urge to move and they soon drifted off to sleep.

About 2 hours later, Skye awoke to the sound of her phone going off. Still groggy, she sat up and answered it with a sleepy, "Hello?"

"Hey kid!" boomed a familiar deep voice on the other end.

"John?"

"The one and only! Plan on returnin to the boat anytime soon?"

She glanced over at the glowing clock, then out the window and saw the sun sinking behind the Alaskan mountains that bordered Dutch.

*Gasp* "Oh shit! John, I'm so sorry! We lost track of time."

Knowing that her words were truthful, he easily forgave her. Which is something he did often with Skye, because he never turned his anger on her.

"It's okay kiddo. Just c'mon back."

"Okay, I'll see ya soon, Bye."

Looking over her shoulder, she noticed that Josh was still sleeping. She quietly dressed, trying not to disturb him. After pulling on her boots, she kissed him softly and whispered in his ear; "Joshua honey, wake up." His eyes fluttered open. Groggily sitting up, he returned the kiss. Skye gave him a chance to pull his clothes back on before relaying the phone call to him, even though he'd heard part of it. "Baby girl did your phone go off?" "Yea. It was John, asking when I'd be back… and you." Looking up at the clock, he had the same reaction that Skye did. "Sonuvabitch! We should've been back by now!" he exclaimed as he rushed to re-dress. "That's what I said," she responded. Within minutes they were racing back to the dock, with Josh hoping that Phil wasn't pissed off yet.

Arriving back at the boats, the two young deckhands saw their captains awaiting them. Luckily, neither skipper was out for blood. John had given Phil the message after the older captain had stormed over to John's boat, demanding to know where his oldest son was. Phil too believed Skye's word, as did most everyone who knew her. The two lovebirds shared one last kiss before going off on their respective boats. Josh and Phil climbed into the truck, with Phil now driving. Skye blew one simple kiss toward Josh, before disappearing into the boat house. Both crews were then in work mode, hurrying to get their boats ready for departure.


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own!**

 **A/N: In an attempt to make them better deckhands, Captain Phil and Captain Sig switched Jakes. This really did happen in the show! They did it for King Season only and the switch lasted for only a few weeks.**

 **Chapter 4**

Departure day arrives! Skye awoke in her bunk with mixed emotions of enthusiasm and sadness. She was ready to accept the cold mistress that is the Bering Sea, but not so ready to say farewell to Josh. Throwing on her usual jeans, a CM t-shirt that Josh had gotten her, and deck boots, she felt a lump rising in her throat. To ease her emotions, she opted for her TB crewman's jacket and favorite knit hat for good luck. She also stashed her pink glossy chap stick in her pocket before walking outside. Walking out on deck, she spied Josh's truck pulling up on the dock. She smiled as he climbed out, but tried to contain her tears. He had on black sweat pants, his black "Bering Sea 2009" hoodie, and deck boots. His black hair was cover by a black DC ball cap. Even in his work gear, he still looked irresistibly sexy. But by the time he reached her side, she ended up losing the battle over the tears that welled in her eyes. They silently streamed down her cheeks as she buried her face in Josh's chest, all while feeling like a total wimp for making such a fuss. She was instantly in his arms, and fortunately it was still early enough that there were no cameras around. Josh let her have her tears, soothing her in any way he could. He never condemned her for becoming upset every once in a while before leaving town.

"Baby I'm sorry. I hate leaving you as much as you do, but we'll make it work. We always do right?"

"Yea, we do," she responded, slightly sniffling. He cupped her face in his hands, kissing her passionately.

"I love you baby girl," he told her softly.

"I love you too. Just be careful," she insisted.

"Always am. Sides at least I won't hafta kill Jake," Josh said snickering.

Skye raised her eyebrow at him in confusion, "Ok?" He then told her the events of the night before as they entered the warm boathouse.

"Pops decided that he's gonna go work on the _Northwestern_ and Sig's gonna give us Jake Anderson. But it's only gonna be for the first few weeks of the season."

"Oh okay. Honestly, I think that working on another boat might do him some good. Especially seein how you n' Jake haven't been gettin along too well lately. Also, he'll get to see what it's like to be out his own."

"Dad seems to think so. And I do too, ya know? But it still feels weird."

"I know baby. Cuz the _Cornelia's_ really the only boat y'all ever known. Still it'll be a good experience for him."

"But, you're right though babe." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "C'mon lets go."

They walked back out into the cold, while Skye applied a light coat of her chap stick. When they reached the drivers' side of the truck, Josh hugged her tightly as if his life depended on it. Skye did the same, not wanting to let go. She kissed Josh on one cheek with her hand on the other.

"Let's go crab fishin!" she whispered, causing Josh to laugh. "I love you, baby. Come back safe to me, ya hear?" she reminded him after hugging him one last time. She released her grip so that he could get back on the road.

"I love you too. Don't worry, I will," he replied. They shared one last kiss before Josh slammed the door. She watched him drive away until his truck disappeared from her sight. She ran back onto the boat, ready to get the day underway.

Back on the _Cornelia_ , Josh had to double time it. He had to get Jake over to the _Northwestern_ then head back over to the CM. He reached his brothers' room, but he could hear the camera crew behind the door. He leaned against the wall, but his thoughts traveled back to Skye and how he missed her already. Jake was lucky, he wasn't the one that had to leave a girlfriend behind. But for the past 3 years, Josh had watched the love of his life sail away on the Time Bandit. Springing himself back into action, he banged on the door. "C'mon man! I gotta get your ass over to Sig, hurry up!" he shouted through the wood. A few short moments later, Jake appeared with bags in hand. But it was soon followed by bursts of laughter. "The hell is so damn funny?!" he demanded. "Dude look at your face!"Jake exclaimed between peals of laughter. Shoving past Jake, he stormed into the bathroom staring into the mirror. Bending over the sink, he found a small pink stain on his cheek. His face turned crimson when he realized that Skye's lip balm had left a mark. Trying to act tough he once again yelled at Jake, "Enough bullshit! Let's go!" Strangely, he could hear Skye's voice in the back of his mind: "Really baby? Trying to act all "tough guy" for the cameras again?" He laughed at the thought.

The whole ride over to the NW, Josh was silent. He tried to get his head focused on fishing, but to no avail. "You ok bro?" asked Jake, trying to break the silence. Josh just nodded his head. Putting the truck in park, Josh helped him onto the Norwegian boat, followed by a brotherly hug. Jake sensed his older brothers' anxiety. "I know you miss her bro. But, we gotta earn it right?" said Jake, trying to give Josh some sort of comfort. "That's right. Aight love ya, buddy. Stay safe," replied Josh. "Love ya too, take care."

Josh reached the CM right before departure. As he jumped over the rail, one thought entered his mind: "Let's go fishin!"


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Also, Skye's sausage gravy is a recipe I learned. And I'm sorry for all the boring deats in this chapter! But gotta get em out sometime. And You already know what the characters look like so no need to re state em in the flashback**

Chapter 5

*Season 3 (King Crab '06)*

Joshua Harris was aboard his father's crab boat, the F/V _Cornelia Marie_ , helping prepare the crab pots for the upcoming King season. He'd taken the plunge at joining the family business. After knotting a pot to the crane, he glanced up just as Captain Johnathan Hillstrand came into his line of vision. Josh hopped off the stack, and continued working on the pots. He was repairing the webbing on one of the lower pots when he glanced up again. He noticed that the fellow captain wasn't alone. At first, Josh assumed the stranger was another greenhorn like himself. But on closer inspection, he realized that this deckhand was…. a girl?! She was dressed in a black Time Bandit hoodie, jeans, and cowgirl boots. Slung over her shoulders was a DC back pack and 2 large duffle bags were placed at her feet. He watched as she covered her hair with a dark blue knit hat with only her bangs falling around her face. Even under the bulk of her jacket, he could tell that she had curves in all the right places. Seemingly star struck, he couldn't tear his view away from this stranger, whose eyes happened to lock with his for a brief moment. "Holy shit! A hottie that works on the Bering Sea?" he thought to himself, as her green/brown eyes made his knees buckle slightly. Usually the only thing caught in Dutch Harbor was the crab and the fish, but Josh Harris was about to embark on the catch of his life!

*Back to King Season '09*

On the Time Bandit, Skye and the boys were steaming toward the crab grounds in picture perfect weather. John had set a course for the scallop beds, one of the many "honey holes" in the Hillstrand playbook. Skye was the first one up, climbing out of her bunk and headed to the galley. Luckily for her, she had a room all to herself. Because she was the only girl, John and Andy had allowed Skye to have her own stateroom. She dressed in a plain blue T-shirt, the CM hoodie she'd worn on the day before they left, jeans, and her favorite dark blue knit hat. Wearing Josh's old hoodie gave her a sense of comfort, though it swallowed her small frame. The hem stopped a good 2 inches below her waist. But not only was it her boyfriends', its scent was a mix of his cologne and cigarettes. She could still hear some of the guys snoring away as she made her way to the kitchen. Her boys of the Bering Sea had come to love her southern cooking, their favorite breakfast dish being her homemade biscuits and gravy. So as an opening day treat, the morning meal consisted of: biscuits, sausage gravy, and scrambled eggs. Making her way into the kitchen after brushing her teeth (girl's still gotta have good hygiene!) she noticed that the ships' camera guy/producer Tim had beat her to the galley. He was fully dressed and his camera was already rolling.

"Mornin' girlie! You're up early!" said Tim cheerfully.

""Hey Tim! Yea, fixin' to get breakfast made. This is probably my sleepiness talkin', but is that thing on?" she asked, pointing to the expensive camera perched on Tim's shoulder and feeling slightly stupid for asking because the _Deadliest Catch_ camera crews were always on the job .

"Well, yea. Ya mind?"

"Nah it don't bother me none. I've been around y'all for the past 4 years, so ya'd think I'd gotten used to ya by now. Just don't get all up in my way while I'm tryin to cook."

"Understood, ma'am. So whatcha cooking?" asked Tim, knowing that while John and/or Andy weren't around, Skye was 2nd in command. The Hillstrands usually took the number one spot as a team.

She listed off the menu, while gathering ingredients from the fridge and cabinets. Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed Tim standing in a nearby corner staring at her through his camera while she mixed the biscuit dough. "And the best part…. Screwin with the camera guy!" said Skye loudly, while smearing a bit of the sticky dough onto the lens. Tim shrugged as he gingerly wiped off the mess with a paper towel. With the biscuits now in the oven, she finished the rest of the meal. She playfully slapped Tim's hand when he tried to steal bits of egg and sausage from the sizzling pans. When Skye could finally take her attention away from the stove, she put on a pot of coffee.

Knowing that John was in the wheelhouse and Andy would soon follow, she decided to make a personal coffee delivery. Within minutes, she heard the coffee pot ding. For some odd reason, John preferred it when Skye brought him his caffeine fix over anyone else, as did Andy. According to the eldest Hillstrand, she made it just right every time. She made her way up to the wheelhouse, with Tim dutifully following behind her. "John? You there?" she called.

"Yea, c'mon in kiddo."

Tim stepped just ahead of her to open the door as she entered, a mug in each hand. "Coffee delivery! And food's ready when you are," she stated cheerfully. Jon couldn't help but greet her with an equally cheerful grin. He was always grateful of all the things she did on the boat, no matter how small. To John (and her fellow deckhands), she wasn't just their cook. She was in a sense their boat mom. And she played her role well for her 25 years.

"Thanks hun! Smells good too. I gotta ask though, what's with the jacket?" asked the skipper, taking the mug from her and motioning to the hooded sweatshirt he'd never seen her wear.

"Oh this?" she asked looking down, her cheeks beginning to burn. She faced her captain once again, "It's Josh's."

"I brought Andy's his too. I wasn't sure if he'd be up here or not," she said trying to change the subject and setting the mug down in front of the Cowboy Captain's chair.

"He will be in a bit. Thought so, sides it's way too big to be yours and I know for damn sure you don't smoke," he responded as the lingering scent nicotine off the jacket reached his nose. "The guys up yet?"

"They were still passed out last time I checked. Bout to give 'em a wakeup call," she said laughing as she descended down the stairs. "Well that was embarrassing! Baby I hope you know you owe me when we get home," she said over her shoulder. She made her way to each deckhand's room (Scotty and Mikey's; JJ, Eddie, and Neal's). Knocking on each door, then heading back toward the kitchen she called, "Guys c'mon! Get up! Foods' ready!" Hearing grumbling from the other side of the door, she called again, "I made y'all's favorite! It's gonna get cold soon, plus John'll eat it all!" noticing that John was now in the kitchen and stuffing his face with a full plate. One by one they tumbled their way into the galley, loading up their plates, and chowed down. After the boys hit the deck, Skye stayed in the house to get in her boat chores. She'd also made it known that keeping crewman's rooms clean was not in her job description. During the '08 King Season, this had come to a head when she and Russell had gotten into a dispute over what chores she should and shouldn't do. Once order had been restored, she took her place in the wheelhouse. She plopped down in a nearby chair as John smiled over his shoulder. With the cameras on deck and by the captain's chair, the day wore on.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Takin' out some of the fishing deats! Also a lil insight: The CM's generator is the part of the engine that gives the boat its electricity (from the lights to the engines themselves). It's just like if you had a generator that powered the electricity in your house. Its fuel supply got closed off, so it shut down and caused the boat to lose power. And the "forepeak" is the area of the boat where the guys take breaks in between strings. It's usually located near the bow. Also, Josh was on deck when this happened in the show, but for the sake of the story I changed it. Lastly, Jake isn't meant to be made out as a douche, but it's in this season where he starts to become really cocky.**

 **Chapter 6**

In the month that followed, the '09 King Season drug on. Aboard the _Cornelia_ , the Harris clan was reunited. The dark clouds that had long hung over Josh and Jake, came raining down once again as sibling rivalry assumed its course. Jake had not only tested the waters with his brother, but also Phil with his high n' mighty ways. Josh loved his brother dearly, but the constant cycle of anger pushed the boys further apart. Taking his concerns to the boss and venting to his fellow crew only helped assuage his feelings for the time being. He longed for Skye and the advice he knew would be given. In the last weeks at sea, he gave into the temptation. While on wheel watch, he snatched up the chance to call his girl. He grabbed the radio, and switched it to a private channel so no other boats could eavesdrop on the conversation.

" _Cornelia Marie, Time Bandit._ You got me on here John?"

"Time Bandit here. Hey Josh!"

"Hey Johnny! Is my girl around brotha?"

"Yea, lemme go n' get her." John sent Andy down to the kitchen where Skye had been cleaning up after a late dinner. She'd had her earbuds in, while loading up the dishwasher. Andy tapped her on the shoulder, giving her a bright smile. She bolted up to the wheelhouse, in high hopes of speaking to Josh.

"Howdy Captn! Whatcha need?" she said happily.

"There's somebody on the _Cornelia_ that wants to talk to ya."

Her eyes widened as her face instantly lit up like a kid on Christmas. John laughed at her reaction, as he allowed her to have her moment. He relocated to his state room. And after handing over the phone, he convinced Andy to do the same.

Alone at last, she squealed into the receiver, "Hi baby!"

Josh smiled, even hearing her voice lifted his spirits. "Hey beautiful. How're ya holding up?"

"Even better now that I'm hearing from you. You doin okay?" She knew that Josh only called when they were headed back to Dutch. So it would only be a matter of time before she would be by his side. And after a hectic morning of making their way through False Pass, she needed a little pick me up. Also, just a few days before the boats forepeak had begun to flood. One of the pumps had gotten clogged so water that should've been recycled back out to sea, was flooding the boat. This caused the boat to dangerously tip over. But, she wasn't about to tell Josh that!

Josh sighed heavily, his mood slightly sinking.

"Uh oh. Lemme guess, you an Jakie?"

"How'd you know?" He asked, already knowing the answer. Skye could read his mood like no one else. She could always tell within a moment when something was wrong.

"Lucky hunch," she joked. "Honestly, I don't know what to tell ya, love. I can't change Jake's attitude. All I can do is call him out on it."

Josh laughed at the thought. It was no secret that the words "Jacob Harris, quit antagonizing your brother!" could be heard many times aboard the CM, whenever Skye was around.

"I tried that, it didn't take."

"That's because 95% of the time he's got his ass on his shoulder. Both of y'all are turning into amazing fisherman, and I'm proud of you both. But, anytime you try n tell your brother somethin', he either gets a big head or he gets defensive. You'll find a way baby."

"Ain't that the truth! Ok baby girl, I…." Josh's voice trailed off followed by a blaring alarm and a dead phone line.

Skye was sitting in John's chair with the alarm blaring through the phone receiver followed by dead silence. "Josh? Hunny you there? Joshua?" questioned Skye a few times, but received no answer. She felt as if her brain had shut down, as the belief of her worst fear began to sink in its teeth. A few moments later, she buried her face in her arms. A river of tears soon flooded her eyes. Andy was the first to return with Tim on his heels. He placed a loving hand on her shoulder, shaking it gently. Raising her head, she faced him with bleary eyes and tear stained cheeks. "Darlin' what happened? Did you and Josh get in a fight?" he asked. She shook her head before finally speaking, "I don't know what hap-happened. We were about to say good-bye when an alarm went off and then the line went dead. I tried callin his name a few times, but I got no answer. Ohmygod!" She suddenly got extremely panicked and lost all control. She began crying again and sunk to the floor, her entire body shaking. Andy lowered himself to the floor and hugged her after helping her up. Sitting in his chair, he cradled Skye in his lap. John soon returned to the wheel, and to the sight of Andy holding Skye.

"What the fuck happened? Is she okay?" he asked, motioning to the sleeping girl curled up in Andy's lap, her head against his chest.

"I don't know brotha. I came up here to check on her and she told me that somethin' went down on the Cornelia."

"She say what?"

"All she told me was that she n Josh were talkin', then she heard an alarm and the phone went dead."

"Can't do much but pray."

Back on the CM, Josh was on the verge of losing his mind while he and the rest of the crew scrambled to get their generator working again. Right when he was about to return to the deck, the boat lost power and was dead in the water. Turned out that the valve responsible for supplying the generator with fuel closed up. Steve made quick work of the repair, reopening the valve with a zip tie. Power was restored and Josh blew a sigh of relief. But he quickly double timed it back to the phone. Phil was already back in the chair by the time he reached the wheelhouse.

"Hey pops," Josh said coolly.

"Go ahead, call her back."

"What?" asked Josh, trying to pretend like he didn't know what Phil was referring too.

"I know you called her before we lost power. Go ahead, tell her what happened."

"Thanks dad," said Josh, another wave of relief washing over him.

"Yea, yea," replied the skipper, leaving Josh to his own devices.

Josh grabbed the phone and redialed the TB with lightning speed.

"Cornelia Skye, Time Bandit. You got me Johnny?"

"Yea, brotha I gotcha."

"Where is she?"

"Asleep in Andy's lap."

"Don't mess with her then. Just let her know that we're safe."

"Ok, will do brotha. What the hell happened anyway?"

"Damn generator shut down. Fuel valve closed up on it and we lost power."

"Damn brotha! Glad to know y'all are safe. I'll let her know though."

"Aight love you guys, See back in Dutch."

"Love ya guys too. Be safe."

With that both the _Cornelia Marie_ and the _Time Bandit_ jogged their way back to town.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: A short one!**

 **Chapter 7**

Arriving back on land, Skye eagerly awaited Josh's return. With the ol' TB sitting idle at the dock, Skye sat in John's captain chair. They still had a few days to spend in Dutch, but John had been kind enough to let her go. Seeing how they'd be steaming back to Homer while she would made the trek to Kodiak with the CM crew. She looked forward to this every year, it was the only time she and Josh were on the same ship. She also brimmed with relief after learning that the boys and the boat were safe after the at-sea near catastrophe. She glanced out the window every so often, waiting in anticipation for Josh. She finally got her wish when his truck came roaring up on the dock. Before the vehicle could curb to a stop, she'd already made her way all the way from the wheelhouse to the deck in seconds. Her heart thumped in her ears as Josh slammed the door. She ran towards him and jumped into his arms, like a scene out of a romance movie. Josh grinned like a Cheshire cat, being the first one to speak.

"I'm home baby. I'm safe."

As if that's all she needed to hear, she cupped his face as kissed him hard. Josh laughed, knowing the cameras all around them were watching the whole scene unfold.

"Baby girl, you do know that they're still filmin' us right?" he whispered.

She cupped his face once again, staring into his eyes with both relief and sternness. "Fuck em'! You're home and honestly that's the only thing that matters right now. But Joshua Grant Harris don't you never scare me like that again!" She replied in her strong Carolina drawl.

"Time to go home?" he asked, after she'd finished scolding him.

"Absolutely!" she exclaimed, ready to get back to Monroe, Washington and the 4 bedroom house she and Josh shared. They kissed once again, and headed back into the TB.

When all was said and done, Skye loaded up her bags into the truck. She said good-bye to Mikey, Scotty, JJ, Eddie and Neal. At the end of the "line" were Andy and John. "My two favorite guys," she said as she hugged them both. Before her soon to be former crew could turned away, the young deckhand had something to get off her chest. "Guys wait! I just wanna say thanks you. Thanks for everythin', for bein' like my family for the last 5 years. I love all y'all and I'll miss ya more than you know. Y'all took me in and treated me like I was one of y'all. And I couldn't have asked for a better crew." She received a group hug, then she and Josh sped off to the CM, with the past behind them.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: For those who've never watched the show, all 3 Harris boys wear gold necklaces with an Alaskan crab charm. For them, it's a symbol that you're a true crabber. Those who also wear this necklace are some of the other captains and a few of the other deckhands. Skye's mom's passing will be explained in a later chapter.**

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN!**

Chapter 8

Josh was thrilled! King Season was over and he & Skye were back home in Monroe, Washington. With the help of their mom, Mary, Josh & Jake were taking a Christmas mall trip in Seattle. After spending half the morning scouring through almost every store, the trio stopped for a break in the food court. Jake had wandered off, having spotted a girl across the mall; leaving Josh and Mary to themselves.

"So what did you get her?" inquired Mary.

Josh instantly blushed. Before they left Kodiak, he'd bought her an Alaskan crab necklace exactly like his. She'd be a _Cornelia Marie_ girl from now on, and he felt it fitting to make it official. He'd been carrying it around for weeks. Smiling, Josh pulled the small velvet box out of his pocket and handed it to his mom.

"Joshua! It's beautiful, she'll love it!" Mary exclaimed as she examined the gift.

"She doesn't have one yet. John wanted to get one for her last year, but I asked him if I could do it."

He tucked the gift back into the pocket of his jeans. Ten minutes later, Jake returned to the table, stashing a slip of paper into his wallet. Josh smirked, his brother was the biggest flirt he ever met. He teased Jake by cuffing his younger brother lightly on the back of his head.

Meanwhile, Skye had stayed back to put the finishing touches on the small Christmas tree that adorned the living room. She used to spend the holidays with her family back in South Carolina. But ever since her mom's death right before her first year in Dutch, the memories were still raw. She and her siblings still stayed in touch, but the glue that had held them together wasn't the same anymore. Setting her feelings aside, she finished the project with a small gold star. She then placed her gift to Josh underneath: a new motorcycle helmet airbrushed a deep teal blue with his name and the CM logo in its signature black and gold color. Josh, like Phil, enjoyed fast cars and bikes. He'd recently bought a new street bike that he and Skye spent many afternoons riding through the back roads of Monroe on. Although, Phil enjoyed giving his son tough love about not owning a Harley. Plopping down on the leather sofa, she wrapped herself up in her favorite type of blanket: one of Josh's hoodies. Flipping through the channels, she found a re-run of _Tim Burton's: The Nightmare before Christmas._ Within minutes, she was fast asleep.

About an hour later, Josh and Jake returned with arms loaded with bags. Josh entered the house quietly, only to find Skye passed out on the couch. He kicked off his shoes and smiled, kissing her on the head. Her body shivered slightly, so in true boyfriend form, Josh grabbed her favorite USC Gamecocks blanket and draped in over her. Moments later Jake came thundering in through the door, creating every noise imaginable. Josh shot a fierce glance at his kid brother.

"Dude really?! She's asleep!" he whispered harshly.

"Sorry," Jake mumbled under his breath.

"Is that all of it?" asked Josh.

"Yea, well of your shit anyway."

Jake loaded up all his gifts in his truck, gave his brother a hug and drove off. Josh, not wanting to disturb Skye, used the time to wrap his Christmas gifts. He trotted down the hall to the downstairs spare room. Most were for his mom, Jake and Phil. As a "prank" gift for Phil, he'd found a DVD box set of Animal Planet's _Meerkat Manor._ For his mom he'd gotten a small diamond necklace on a silver chain.He'd almost bought Skye a matching one, but he felt the gold crab was more heartfelt. He retrieved the necklace box from his pocket, wrapping it in a small bag tied with a gold ribbon, courtesy of his girlfriend's gift wrapping lessons. He came around the corner, placing his gift next to the large box he knew was his. Glancing over to see if she was still asleep, he gingerly picked it up and gently shook it. Skye stirred from her place on the couch, seeing Josh knelt down at the foot of the tree.

"Joshua Grant! Quit tryin' to sneak presents early!" she reprimanded when she saw the box next to ear.

He set the box down and scooped her up in his arms. "I have a better present I can sneak early," he said in a lustful voice, kissing her neck.

"Really now?" she inquired, her body already beginning to melt into his even though she'd just woken up. He picked her up bridal style and carried her upstairs to their master bedroom. Josh walked through the open doorway and gently laid her on the soft mattress. He stroked her cheek and whispered in her ear, "I love you baby." When he did, he noticed her cheeks turning a deep red which made him chuckle. "I love you too." Josh began to kiss down her neck, pulling her jacket and shirt off in one piece. He was quite pleased to find that she wasn't wearing a bra and that her shirt had clung to the inside of the jacket. He rose up on his knees, yanked his own shirt over his head, and threw it across the room. Skye rose from her place on the bed and captured Josh's mouth in an intense kiss. Josh grew more aroused by the second. The feel of Skye's soft skin against his was utterly addicting, especially without the confines of clothing. She reached for his belt and within seconds the buckle was undone. When she slowly undid his jeans, he laid her back down on the mattress to kick them off. His mouth returned to her neck as his hands dipped below the waist band of her sweatpants as she spread her hands across his back. Before she could reach for his boxers, he caught her wrists and returned them to his shoulders. He left a trail of kisses down her body, earning her little nips on her collar bone, stomach, and hips. He began pleasing her with his tongue. She moaned loudly, loving every second. Josh loved the way her body tasted under his mouth. But when he came up to kiss her again, she quickly removed his boxers and gave his ass a firm squeeze. Her hand traveled between his legs and began pumping his member. Pleasure took over and he too began moaning. He almost came right there in her hands. "Make love to me baby," she whispered. He feverishly nodded his head before reaching for a condom. Starting out slow, and little by little increasing his speed, the room filled with lustful moans of ecstasy from them both. Skye's arms clung to his back as she allowed her movements to match Josh's. They soon came together, yelling each other's name.

A few days later, Christmas arrived. Skye woke up first, heading downstairs to make breakfast for her and Josh. She decided on cinnamon rolls, Josh's favorite holiday treat. As soon as she pulled them out of the oven, she could hear Josh climbing out of bed. She knew he'd smelled breakfast and smiled when he joined her in the kitchen.

"Merry Christmas baby!" she said, reaching up to kiss him.

"Merry Christmas to you too! So time for presents?" he asked childishly.

"Yea! We can open 'em now," she laughed. She made her way to the tree, picking up Josh's present. Josh seated himself on the couch, enjoying one of the rolls. She sat in his lap and handed him the box. "Here honey. You open yours first!"

Josh tore off the paper and broke the tape on the box. He sat in awe as he pulled the helmet from its packaging. He studied it for a few moments before capturing Skye in a grateful kiss.

"Thank you baby girl! How'd you get this? It even has the logo too?"

Skye's face shone with pride, "I just ordered a plain white one and got the guys over at the shop to airbrush it for me."

"Guess it's my turn to play Santa huh?" he asked. Josh kissed her again, picking her up and seating her back down on the sofa. He grabbed a small bag that had been next to his and returned to his seat. He placed it in her lap, as she slowly undid the ribbon. Pulling out what she knew was a velvet jewelry box, she gave him a curious look. It only took a simple glance for her to realize what he'd given her. She pulled out the gold crab necklace that was identical to his own.

"*Gasp* Oh my god baby!" she exclaimed, holding the chain in her hands.

"Well, you're gonna be a CM girl now. I wanted to make it official."

He helped her with the clasp, hooking it around her neck, "It's beautiful baby. Thank you! I love it."

They made out on the sofa for a while, when Skye took a look at the clock.

"Hunny, we gotta get to Phil's soon," she said in between kisses.

"Okay," Josh responded and immediately reached for his new helmet.

"No baby, we can't take the bike. We hafta use the car," she scolded. "The car" being Josh's fire red Z06 Corvette.

"But why?" Josh whined playfully.

"Cuz we gotta lotta stuff to take over there and ain't none of it is gonna fit in the bike."

"Fine. You win," he huffed.

"I know. Now, c'mon we gotta get changed."

About 15 minutes later, they were downstairs and out the door. Josh had chosen to wear a plain black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, jeans, and black and white Vans. He was also wearing his _Cornelia Marie_ crew jacket. Skye was similarly dressed except hers was a white button down with sleeves that flared out at the wrists, dark skinny jeans and black leather boots that zipped up to her knee. Also she had on her gray double-button pea coat.

They reached Phil's place without incident. The couple was greeted with hugs all around by both Jake and Phil. All 4 decided to continue with gift opening and were in favor of Phil opening his first. Josh handed it over, while Skye and Jake began laughing. Tearing off the paper, Phil held the DVD set with gratitude.

"Hell yea! Now I can watch it whenever the fuck I want!" declared the skipper. Jake was next, his gift from the couple being a new pair of Vans exactly like Josh's.

"I got tired of seein you wear those raggedy ass old ones!" said Skye. The youngest Harris thanked them both, and began replacing the shoes on his feet with the new ones. Phil gave Jake a six pack of Bud Light.

Josh went after Jake. Jake gave his older brother accessories for the Corvette.

Skye went last. Phil and Jake pitched in to get her gift together. She was amazed to be given a _Cornelia_ crew jacket with her name on the front.

Dinner was soon served. It took no time at all, seeing how Skye had come over the day before and cooked most of the meal and stored it in the fridge. She made: ham, mac n cheese, sweet potatoes, green beans, and rolls. Of course, no Harris family meal was complete without Phil's crab stuffed mushrooms. For desert she made strawberry cheesecake. After dinner, Skye and Jake volunteered for cleanup while Phil and Josh went outside to have a smoke.

Standing in the yard, Phil reached in his pocket and handed his older son a small box. "Here, I got it for ya."

Josh smiled, taking it with gratitude. They finished their smoke when Josh pulled his father in for a hug. "Thanks pop."

"When are you gonna ask her?"

"I don't know yet. Probably after this season."

Skye watched from the kitchen window, wondering what had just unfolded. She shrugged it off when she and Josh said their goodbyes and drove back home. But Skye couldn't help but wonder what her man had up his sleeve. "I guess I'll hafta wait till after Opies!" she thought.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I'm merely guessing that the infamous reef incident happened on the CM's trek from her main port. Room set up on the CM (in my mind anyway): Skye & Josh, Freddy & Jake, Ryan & Steve. And of course Phil's captains quarters.**

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN!**

 **Chapter 9**

It's January 2010 and the Opilio crab season was set to begin. Josh and Skye had just boarded a plane from Anchorage, Alaska that would take them to Kodiak. Skye's enthusiasm grew with each leg of the journey. From now on, she would no longer have to endure watching Josh steam off on the _Cornelia_ without her. She felt like a kid that had just received a golden ticket. But instead of a trip to Wonka's Chocolate Factory, this ticket landed her a job alongside the legendary Phil Harris and the love of her life.

Arriving in Kodiak, the couple reached the dock and Skye's new crab fishing home. She leaned up against the side of the truck, when Josh took his place at her side and draped his arm around her shoulders. "So what do ya think of your new boat babe?" he asked. "It's perfect," she responded, taking her eyes off the ship and letting them fall on Josh. Climbing aboard her new home with her duffle bag & backpack over her shoulder, she made her way to her and Josh's stateroom. Because of the new edition, the Harris boys no longer shared a room. Upon hearing the news, Jake had decided to move in with fellow deckhand Freddy Maugatai, moving Freddy's former roommate Ryan Simpson in with Steve. Josh followed behind her, helping carry her larger suitcase. After stashing away what few bags she'd brought, Skye headed up to greet her captain. Phil was glued to the captains' chair, smoke in hand. Without a hint of hesitation, she wrapped her arms around the back of the chair. The skipper whipped around, smiling widely. "So you're finally a Cornelia girl huh?" he asked in his gravelly, salty voice. "Yes sir!" she replied, laughing. Phil had always wanted Skye as a crew member on his boat, ever since she set foot in Dutch Harbor. Now because of his son, he got his wish. When all was said and done, Skye assumed the same duties on the _Cornelia_ that she'd had on the TB. First job on the list: Cooking dinner. After taking a consensus from the crew, the evening meal consisted of: fried chicken, mac n cheese (homemade), green beans, and yeast rolls. The boys had had her southern cooking before on her voyages back to Kodiak with them. So they knew all too well what kind of meals were in store for them from now on. As a treat for her new crew, she also baked a surprise desert: a 2 layer red velvet cake with homemade cream cheese frosting.

While Skye prepared her first meal as a CM cook, Josh was making it pay on deck. He, Jake, Freddy and Ryan were making boat repairs while Steve was in the engine room. All were anxious to get the long steam to Dutch underway the next morning. They worked through most of the evening, only to stop when Skye called them. She'd kept the food on warm when she walked out of the boathouse, calling them in like a mom calling her kids home. "Hey guys, c'mon! Food's ready!" she yelled as loud as her voice would allow. Josh was the first to hear her call as he hopped down from the bow of the ship back onto the flat deck. Jake (the next to have heard the "dinner bell"), goaded his older brother on in a race to the galley. Phil witnessed the competition about to unfold, grabbed the hailer, booming into the P.A: "Ready Set, Go!" The boys took off, with Jake just ahead of Josh. Jake almost tripped over a buoy, allowing Josh to beat him. In a victory dance, he scooped Skye up in his arms, twirling her around. She kissed him sweetly, as the rest of the crew made their way inside. Filing into the kitchen, her boys seemed pleased as they stuffed their faces with 2 and 3 helpings. When Skye pulled desert out, all 6 faces lit up. The boys finished up their deck work, and the trip to Dutch began.

2 days later, the first of many disasters struck. Phil accidently crashed the CM into a reef. Now the ship had to be pulled into the repair docks, with captain and crew anxiously awaited its fate. The near disaster had caused the _Cornelia's_ propellers to be severely bent as well as other repairs. After another 2 days spent waiting, the CM was finally sea worthy. Since all the other boats in the fleet were already hitting the grounds running, the CM had some serious catching up to do. Finally after hours of waiting, the captain, crew, and boat made their journey to the Opilio crab grounds. Unfortunately, heavy ice threatened to cripple their boat. With only a few miles to go until they reached their planned spot, Phil decided to blindly drop the first layer of ice laden pots. After giving Josh a morning kiss, she headed up to the wheelhouse. She plopped down in the chair opposite from Phil's, but not before handing him a cup of coffee. Captain and cook watched from the edge of their seats as Freddy and Jake volunteered to scale the pot stack, beating off ice with every step.

Inch by inch, the pots came free. Skye breathed a sigh of relief when the 2 deckhands descended to the deck. Glancing over his shoulder, Phil noted her nervousness.

"You okay darlin'?" he asked in a fatherly tone he only reserved for Skye.

"I am now. That damn ice always makes me jumpy. Todd quit bein an asshole!" Todd Stanley had made it a point to tease her every chance he got, about she and Josh's relationship among other things. At that particular moment, he'd been poking fun at her anxiety.

"Todd, c'mon let her be," Phil reprimanded. Todd backed off as he resumed manning his camera. With the gear setting, the battle for Opi's '10 was now in full swing.


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN!**

 **A/N: Another shortie!**

 **Chapter 10**

The days passed and the crew increasingly warmed up to Skye's presence. Freddy and Ryan treated her like a little sister. She and Jake had always been close, so it was no different than when they were home. And of course Josh was the most joyful about the newest crew member. Phil seemed over joyed as well, except for the crushed disks in his back. Before the voyage to Dutch, the aging skipper had spent a few days in the hospital due to a back injury. 3 days after the grueling pot dump, Josh decided to allow the old man a break from the chair. Skye had prepared a breakfast of toast, eggs, bacon and waffles. Noticing their skipper joining them, she took it upon herself to fill up a large plate for Phil. Setting his plate in front of him, she kissed him on the forehead, "Eat up!" she stated smiling. "Hey! How come he gets treated all special?" Jake protested, already with a full mouth and plate. "Cuz he deserves it and you don't!" she fired back, already loading up with more food for Josh. Leaving the crew to themselves, she made a breakfast delivery to her favorite man.

Entering the wheelhouse, she placed a kiss in Josh's hair. "Breakfast love!" she said softly, setting the plate and a mug of coffee down. Josh turned to give her a proper lip lock and pulled her into his lap. "Thanks baby." They sat quiet for a few moments, while he clung to Skye as if she were a life preserver. She leaned her head on his shoulder, nestling her face in his warmth. "I know baby, I'm worried about him too. You just focus on deck, I'll handle takin of Phil," she said, almost knowing exactly what was on Josh's mind.

"Thank you baby girl. I gotta tell ya, I do feel a lot better that he's got you up here. I mean I know he's got Todd, but havin you is better. At least he's not totally alone."

"It's my job. That and lovin you. Now eat up, 'fore your breakfast gets cold," she responded in her southern drawl. They sat quiet for a few more moments, allowing Josh to enjoy his meal.

"Duty calls!" Josh suddenly announced, upon hearing the skippers' footsteps and finishing up the few bites. He pulled Skye in for one last kiss before heading down to gear up.

As the pots cleared the rail, they came up blank. The poor fishing urged Phil to start over in an old hot-spot called the "Rock Pile". Skye watched as pot after pot came up empty, hoping that they caught a break soon. She prayed for a miracle, a breakthrough, anything to relieve this fishing slump and the skippers' pain.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: A prequel will proceed this story! Also, Skye isn't one to be clingy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN!**

 **Chapter 11**

Reaching their new honey-hole, Skye spent the last few hours cleaning the galley and kitchen. Very little cooking had been done after striking out for 2 weeks straight, so she took the time to get her other chores done. As John had done on the TB, Phil barely if ever allowed her on deck with the guys. He believed it was just too dangerous. Also the scar she wore on her side stopped him in his tracks every time. During her second Opilio season on the _Time Bandit,_ Skye had gotten injured. She'd been assisting the boys with the bait, when a massive wave crashed over the deck and slammed her into a jagged hunk of steel that had corroded. She'd sliced her side, leaving a long scar from the middle of her torso to her hip in its wake. When she'd relayed the story to Josh for the first time, he almost cried repeating over and over that he'd never let anyone or anything hurt her again. So she spent most of her time keeping the cabin clean or in the wheelhouse under the watchful eye of her skipper.

Finishing her galley chores, she sat quietly in her chair in the wheelhouse as Phil shared coveted fishing secrets to Josh. Josh had been committing more and more time to the wheelhouse lately, and she beamed with pride at the thought of the day he would take over the helm. She grew anxious when Jake's future crossed her mind. In the few weeks that had passed, she noted something off about the youngest Harris. He'd become increasingly distracted and at times completing his work in a daze. She didn't know exactly what was wrong, but she shook it off, not wanting to worry anyone else.

After days of a fishing dry spell, all aboard were ecstatic as crab filled the tanks. Skye smiled at Josh from the wheelhouse window, studying his every move. She'd gotten so wrapped up in watching his muscular body move to and fro around the deck, she'd forgotten that anyone else was around. She barely even noticed when Freddy decided to serve up some fresh cod sushi. Through it all, Skye only had eyes for Josh. Phil sensed her giddiness, making it a constant target for ridicule. "I thought this was a crab boat not the _Love Boat!_ " he teased. "Ain't that what they called it when you were with somebody? Aight then!" she fired back, knowing of the old man's past and how he ran up the boats phone bill with Josh and Jake's mom way back when. He laughed as a new day of fishing dawned. Skye and Josh were already in their rightful places after greeting each other good morning and good luck. She quickly made a mental head count when she realized that Jake was missing. Phil must've read her mind, because he too began questioning Jacob's whereabouts. When Jake finally emerged, Phil as always blew his lid. Adding to the tension, Jake was completely out of his head. He wandered around the deck dazed and even fell into a nearby tank. "What the hell is up with him? Is he on somethin? Cuz he looks as if he's high as a damn kite!" thought Skye, but she kept her concerns to herself.

Later on, Phil and the boys were sharing a father son moment with Skye looking on. She always made it a point to be careful not to make her and Josh's relationship known at the wrong times. Especially shared moments with Phil or his brother. He praised them both but called Jake out on lack of passion for the job. He made it known about how much time Josh was willingly spending at the wheel. He decided then that his youngest will probably be a dime-a-dozen deckhand, while his oldest might be the captain. As the day wore on, the hot fishing continued; as did the skippers nagging back pain. He was standing with his head in his hands and his ability to focus fading.

"Phil, you alright?" asked Skye, as she shot a glance over at Todd, who was thinking the same thing.

"I feel like I'm gonna pass out," he responded breathlessly. He hopped back in his chair, only to call the guys off deck. "I gotta do somethin. I gotta have my medicine."

Skye nodded, making the trek downstairs first to check in on Josh. She found him in their room, laying on the bed in only a pair of sweats. She crawled in next to him, nuzzling her face on his chest. They shared a few tender moments before falling asleep, completely oblivious to the war that was about to ensue above them.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Tragedy strikes this chapter!**

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN! Though I wish I did!**

 **Chapter 12**

Up in the wheelhouse, a battle of father vs son waged on. Phil had just caught Jake attempting to steal some of his pain medication. Making matters more stressful, Jake admitted to his addiction on camera. After a tense altercation, the skipper decided to head for the better part of St. Paul Harbor.

A few hours later, Skye awoke startled. She suddenly felt uneasy, as if she knew something wasn't right. She decided to shrug it off, not wanting to worry Josh so she drifted back to sleep. The next day, the steam into the harbor ended and the offload began. Skye stood by as the boys filled brailer after brailer with crab. She'd been helping Ryan keep track of the weights. Josh caught her figure out of the corner of his eye. He snatched her hand as they made their way to the wheelhouse, finding Phil and Jake overlooking some old family photos. They died laughing at the sight of a young Phil with a "Billy-Ray" style mullet and a picture of Jake in suspenders. All three then hit the deck to assist with the final brailers. Before the offload could be complete, they needed Phil's signature on the final numbers. Steve ran back inside, calling Phil in his stateroom. Skye had decided to follow him, her uneasiness returning. Receiving no answer, he checked Phil's room with Skye close behind. She nodded to give Steve the "OK" to open the door. Skye stood in shock, feeling as if time had stopped. What lay before them, was an unconscious, unresponsive skipper on the floor.

"Oh my god!" said Steve in disbelief.

Skye suddenly found her feet and ability to speak. "Baby…. Joshua! Jacob!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, bursting back on deck at the same time.

All 6 crew members rushed into the boat house. Josh rapidly dialed 911.

"911 what's your emergency?"

"Yea, I think my dad had a stroke."

Skye stood in a corner of the kitchen, in shock and a complete daze. "He's gonna be alright. He's gonna be okay!" Skye tried to reassure herself over and over. Reality set back in when the sirens were heard blaring from the dock. Skye stayed huddled in her corner, watching the chaos unfold. Her eyes stayed glued to the ceiling as the medivac team lifted Phil into the ambulance. Her ears strained to hear anything about the skippers condition, only to learn that Josh and Todd had gone along with him to the medical center. The sirens soon faded away, and she buried her face in her arms for what seemed like hours. Freddy was the one who discovered her hideaway when he and Jake went to search for her. "C'mon lil sister. Gonna go check on Phil," he said softly. He helped her up off the floor, leading her to the truck with Jake and Ryan. Meanwhile Josh waited outside the waiting room to hear any news of his father. The doctors informed him that they were going to airlift Phil to Anchorage, Alaska. He felt numb to the world, and it total shock.

Reaching the emergency clinic, Skye was the first inside. She raced out of the truck and ahead of the others. She found Josh seated on the floor, his knees pulled up to his chest. Once their eyes met Skye collapsed into his lap, allowing the tears she'd kept inside to flow. Josh lifted her face, and wrapped his arms around her small frame. "Baby it'll be okay. I'm here, it'll be okay," he whispered soothingly.

"So what'd they say?" she asked when her tears had finally stopped. Just then, Jake, Freddy & Ryan came around the corner all wanting the same answer.

"They're pretty positive it was a stroke. They're gonna airlift him outta here," said Josh.

"To Anchorage?" asked Jake.

"Yea, they're gonna send him to Providence (Medical Center)."

Once they reached the medivac jet, Skye stayed glued to Josh's side. She kissed Phil on the forehead and hugged Jake goodbye before retreating back into herself. She felt numb, like she was on the outside of a looking glass and watching the whole scene unfold. She quickly pulled herself together as best she could. "C'mon! You're all Josh's got now. You hafta be strong, for Josh and for Phil," she told herself as she desperately tried to put the pieces of her emotions back together.


	13. Chapter 13

**DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN!**

 **Chapter 13**

A few days passed while Skye and Josh waited at the dock in St. Paul. The _Cornelia_ sat motionless when the phone rang with an update from Jake. Josh answered, with Skye and Steve looking on.

"Hey buddy. What'd they say? Yea, yea. Oh fuck! Make sure he knows that we all love him very, very much. Alright buddy, Love ya. Fuck, stay strong. Alright bye." Glancing over, he relayed the news to her and Steve.

"So they did say he had a massive stroke, and they're gonna actually remove a good portion of his skull. And uh, drain…." Josh's voice trailed off.

"Release the pressure," finished Steve.

"Yea," Josh agreed. But he found himself between a rock and a hard place. He desperately wanted to be with his father and Jake but he felt like he had an obligation to the boat. Sitting alone in Phil's chair, he puffed on a cigarette and pondered his quandary. Skye found him after disappearing to the kitchen. She could feel her heart breaking, watching Josh in the state that he was in. She was soon by his side, pulling him into her arms, his head nestled against her chest.

"Baby what should I do?" he asked.

"I think you need to be with Phil. The boat will always be here, but your dad won't. Phil & Jake need you more than you need to be here. You just think about baby. I love you," She lifted his chin and kissed him.

"I love you too."

She left again, leaving the young deckhand with what little advice she could muster. A few hours later, Josh was having a heart to heart with Freddy. The veteran fisherman gave him similar advice to Skye's, much to his surprise. He finally decided to make the trip to Anchorage, but not before reaching out to the fleet about Phil's condition. He made a call to Andy and asked the captain to inform everyone else. Josh found Skye in their room, sitting quietly on their bed.

"C'mon baby. We're leavin," he said, shoving clothes into his suitcase and backpack.

"Whatcha mean?" she asked. "Time to go meet Jake." In no time at all, the couple was on the plane and Josh soundly asleep in Skye's arms. All while the fate of their boat, and the life of their fearless captain hung in the balance.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Skye's mom's passing explained in this chapter. More about her family will be explained in the prequel.**

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN!**

Chapter 14

Landing in Anchorage, the pair was met by Johnathan. Josh had already spoken to the fellow captain, knowing he was with the other half of the Harris clan. Within minutes they were pulling into the hospital parking lot. Josh and Skye made the journey up to Phil's room, anxious to see their skipper. They walked hand in hand but Josh's grip tightened around Skye's fingers with every step. Reaching the door, Skye ushered Josh to go in alone.

"Go on baby. You don't need me in there. I'll be right here when you do," she assured him. She kissed him on the cheek and released his hand. He stepped inside and closed the door. He took a deep breath before walking to his fathers' bedside, "Hey dad. I don't know if you can hear, but it's me Josh. I'm here with you now. I love you buddy, and I'm gonna be here when you wake up." He kissed his father on the forehead before exiting the room. "C'mon babe. It's your turn." He motioned for Skye to enter. Her actions were one in the same with Josh's although her words weren't. "Hey Phil! It's your girl! Josh and I are here now, and we'll see you as soon as you wake up. I love you." She too gave the skipper a kiss on the head.

Walking down the hallway, Josh wrapped his arm around Skye's shoulders. They made their way outside to meet Jake. Again, Skye stood by as the 2 Harris boys shared a few brotherly moments. John wrapped her up in a fatherly hug. The embrace didn't last long when Jake motioned for her to join him and Josh on a nearby bench. Josh pulled her into his lap, allowing both brothers to wrap her up in a group hug.

That night in their hotel room, Skye awoke to the sound of someone crying. She looked over and saw that Josh was still asleep. She quietly tossed back the thick blankets, following the sound to the next room, Jake's. She knocked softly, hearing a stifled "Come in." Poking her head in the room, she saw Jake sitting on the edge of his bed. "Jakers? What's wrong?" she asked using the pet name she'd given him back when they first met. The youngest Harris lifted his head, tears squeezing out of his brown eyes. "Jakers I'm sorry!" she knelt beside him on the floor, giving him a sisterly hug. "I know it's tough. I know all too well what y'all are goin through cuz of my mom. But your brother needs you and as does Phil." Skye's mother had been diagnosed with heart disease when Skye was just a senior in high school. Her moms' health had been on the rise when she left for Dutch in September of '05. Skye had been on a short visit home, when her mom went into the hospital. Naturally, she and her siblings thought that everything would be okay, just like it had many times in the past. But sadly on March 7th 2006, her mom succumbed to the disease.

"You're right sis. Thanks."

"You're welcome. Try'n get some sleep. Love ya." She gave him one last hug.

"Love ya too."

Reaching her bed once again, Skye snuggled up to the man she loved and fell into a deep sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: In prevention from repeating myself, I've decided where the boys see Phil after his surgery, I've decided to simply indicate whose speaking. 'Stead of "Josh said, Jake said, Phil said". In short terms: Phil had a stroke and his brain began to swell, so doctors had to remove a portion of his skull to relieve some of the pressure.**

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN! Though I wish with all my might that this story could've been played out in real life…Cuz it's my only little fantasy world and I'll dream if I want too!**

 **Chapter 15**

The day and ½ that followed was filled with doctor consults and hospital visits. Phil's neurologist, Dr. Lada, explained to the concerned group of 4 the extent of Phil's surgery and how people usually don't survive the type of stroke he endured.

The next morning was brimmed with better news. Thankfully, Phil's recovery looked seemingly bright. They were also informed that he'd be awake and speaking in the next few hours. A day after a 12 hour brain surgery, the skipper spoke to his boys for the first time.

"What's goin on buddy?" asked Josh.

"Where've you been?"-Phil

"Mornin' pops." –Jake

"I'm alive."-Phil

"Yea, you are."-Josh

Skye stood in the corner, waiting to be acknowledged.

Phil then began asking for ice chips to chew on. But the doctors instated that he was only allowed 1 spoonful an hour and he'd reached his limit. So the nurse had taken the cup away.

"Where'd she go with em?" –Phil

"She said not right now, you gotta take a break. You're not runnin' this ship buddy, you're just a deckhand now. While we're in this place."-Josh. Phil began motioning toward the small Styrofoam cup on a nearby counter filled with ice. "No, no ice chips. She said you gotta take a break."-Josh

"Right I know what she said," Stated the skipper, motioning once again toward the cup.

"You smartass! You're gonna be a pain in the butt aren't you? You're all fired up," Josh laughed.

"Where is she?" asked Phil.

"Where's who Pop?" questioned Josh.

"My girl." The old man insisted. Skye emerged from the shadow of the room to Phil's bedside.

"Hey buddy. How ya feelin'?" she asked.

"Kiddo! Well, I'm alive" restated the skipper.

"Yea, still kickin and screamin," Skye noted. Phil motioned toward his cup for about the 4th time, with a slight puppy dog expression in his baby blue eyes.

"No, no more. That ain't gonna work on me, you smartass! She said you hafta wait," she scolded.

"I just want a little one," Phil insisted.

Jake caved first, giving into the captain's demand. He tried to justify his actions when both Skye and Josh protested. But in the end, the skipper made his own decision. The couple shook their heads while Jake laughed. All 3 gave Phil well wishes and the promise for more visits.

3 days later, Phil was on the road to a miraculous recovery. But while the skipper healed, the loved ones surrounding him began to falter. Skye and Josh were on their way to the hospital for a morning visit, while Josh was on speaker phone with Jake.

"Hey where you at?" asked Josh.

"I'm-I'm tryin to figure something out," stuttered the voice on the other end.

"Dude, dad's in the hospital dyin' while you're sittin there gettin' high," said Josh, berating his younger brother.

"I don't know why you're bein difficult right now," Jake said in a "don't-tell-me-what-to-do" tone of voice.

"I don't have time to deal with your shit! DO IT YOUR FUCKING SELF!" yelled Josh, throwing his phone into the console. Skye grew silent, as she turned to face Todd and his camera with a wide eyed expression of "Oh shit!" With the parking lot in sight, Josh noticed Skye's tension. Just as they exited the truck, Josh took a hold of her hand and pulled her into his chest. He knew her well enough to know why her mood had suddenly changed.

"I'm sorry baby. Sorry you had to hear that," he said softly.

"It's okay love," she replied, as he kissed her sweetly. It wasn't the first time she'd heard Josh angrily lash out at his brother and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

They finally entered through the sliding glass doors, meeting up with Johnathan in the hallway. The couple watched from the sidelines while the younger skipper checked in on his old friend. Skye jumped up to follow John to the elevator. She stopped him in the corridor, shocked to see her former captain crying. She laid her hand on his shoulder, trying to muster some comforting words. When she opened her mouth, he spoke first.

"He- he could hear us," John said, his voice cracking and wiping away a few tears.

"The doc says he's doin better every day," she replied.

"I gotta go, meetcha back at the hotel. Love ya," he assured her, wrapping her up in a large hug.

"I love ya too, see ya in a bit."

Making her way back to Phil's room, she knew in that moment that she had to be there for Josh and for Phil. Entering the room, Josh was already saying his goodbyes and told her Phil was about to fall asleep. They gave him their love, before the skipper fell into a deep slumber.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: A long one, so bear with me! The fight between Josh and Jake is the exact same one from the Season 6 episode "Cain and Abel". Also, I wanted to get that fight exactly right, cuz I felt that it was important. I've also written some other scenes that are exactly like the ones in the show, because I felt like they needed to be.**

 **Chapter 16**

The sun set as the couple pulled back up to the hotel. Shutting off the engine, Josh and Skye were ready for some R & R. But not before checking in on Jake. Josh hadn't heard from his kid brother all day. He just hoped that Jake wasn't off being reckless.

They stood hand in hand behind the metallic doors of the elevator. With one great swoosh, the doors glided open. They were just about to make it to their room, when Josh stopped himself.

"Hey baby girl, I'm gonna go check on Jake. Haven't heard from him since this morning," he stated.

"Okay baby. I'll go get cleaned up then go find John."

"Sound good. Wanna meet back in the lobby?" asked Josh. He was already dressed in a plain black button down, jeans, and black DC's. He had on a black zip-up coat and was carrying his CM jacket. And as always he wore one of his many fitted ball hats, this one from Dutch Harbors' Alaska Shipyards Supply store.

"Yea," She agreed, pecked him on the cheek and entered their room. Josh walked down the hall to Jakes' room. Jake had had the room next to theirs, but switched for reasons unknown at the time. Josh knocked, and the door open slowly.

Meanwhile, Skye was enjoying a relaxing shower. The hot water seemed to melt her weariness away. Shutting off the water, she stepped through the steam and wrapped a towel around her chest. She quickly dried off and dressed in her boot cut dark jeans, blue and white plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and black DC's like Josh's. When Josh had picked them out for her, he stated that she had to own at least one pair of shoes like his. She also wore a white tank that showed from under her shirt. She dried her hair and pulled on her new CM jacket. She threw on a bit of foundation powder and eyeliner. Grabbing her pink Real Tree bag off a nearby chair and room key, she was out the door.

Entering the hallway, she met up with Ryan McPherson, the other cameraman from the _Cornelia_. Unbeknownst to the both of them, Todd was in Jake's room in the middle of WWIII. They started to make their descent down the hall to the elevator, when they heard yelling from the opposite end. Curious, they followed the sound of the voices. They were surprised that Jake's room was the source of the commotion. Standing near the door, they could hear Josh's voice.

"I can't leave you here, doin' what you're doin' to take care of dad."

"I ain't doin shit!"

"Why do you think I was the one that arranged everything on the boat? Cuz I was the one that was responsible Jake!"

"Oh I need to go fishin'! I need to make money!"

"That's right. Cuz dad told me what he wanted, Jake."

"You've got your whole life to make money!"

"When you grow up, you can fuckin start takin care of dad!"

Skye dropped her head into her hands. "C'mon guys really? Are y'all seriously gonna start this shit now?" she whispered to no one in particular.

She began to head down to the lobby in search of John. Making it not even halfway down the hall, she was stopped by the fellow captain.

"Whoa kid! Where's the fire?" he asked.

"C'mon Johnny! There ain't no time for jokes. The boys are at it again and I ain't about to deal with this shit on my own."

"Aight, let's go."

Back in Jake's room, Josh was fuming. Jake was in a complete stupor and stoned out of his mind, something that Josh just couldn't handle.

"Dad would be real proud to know that you're getting fucked up. Well you know what? Getting fucked up doesn't help you! You get emotional…"

"It does help me! So fuck you! I need to hear this shit from you right now!"

"Oh really why? Cuz you don't like hearing it cuz it's real? You need to go to rehab then!"

John and Skye had finally made the trek back down the hall to Jake's room. Again they heard Josh's voice first.

"Dad is beside himself, and you're just fuckin' sittin here!"

"I'm tryin' to grow up except for…" –Jake

"Then why can't you?"-Josh

"I'm not usta..."-Jake

"What?"-Josh

"I'm not usta everybody that I love and know, fucking dying. I ain't usta that shit! Alright?"

Upon hearing these words, Skye flew into an all-out rage. "Jacob Charles Harris don't you even fuckin' start that shit!" She screamed, positive that the brothers inside could hear her, and her southern drawl getting thicker with every word. "I know _all_ to FUCKIN' well what it's like to have a parent laying in a hospital bed, not knowing if they're gonna live or die! Don't you dare try an' use that as an excuse for gettin' fucked up! If you wanna go n' get fucked up well fine, but I betcha Phil would be real damn proud!"

John tried to assuage her anger, but that only affirmed her want to give the youngest Harris a piece of her mind. She'd been a few feet from the door, but in a matter of seconds her hand was knob.

"Honey don't!" John said loudly, holding her in an upper body lock. She desperately began trying to free herself from his grip.

"John, lemme go! Let me go! He has NO idea how much Josh has been through! How much we're all hurting! He isn't the only one! And usin' that shit as a fuckin' excuse don't mean nothin!" she demanded.

"It's not worth it hun."

She gave up, knowing that his words were true. "You're right Johnny. Sides couldn't go in anyway. Doors locked," she said with a sigh.

"Damn! You're right," he said. Both of them were so in the moment that they both failed to realize that they couldn't have entered even if they wanted to. Neither of them had a key!

The pair quieted down, while the Harris boys' battle raged on. They heard Jake's voice echoing from behind the walls.

"I'm glad to see that you're so concerned! You're acting a lil bit too cool, for what's goin on."

"Really? You knew what you had to do tonight! You went and got fucked up Jake!"

"You yelling at me is not the right answer!"-Jake

"Then get fuckin' responsible!"-Josh

"Get fuckin' responsible? I am fuckin' responsible! I'd be in a back alley right now if I wasn't responsible!"- Jake

"Why do you think I'm sober?!"

"I haven't seen you shed one fuckin' tear! I haven't seen you shed one fuckin' tear!"-Jake

John dropped his head, "This breaks my heart man," he said quietly. Skye stood against the wall in silence. Her anger toward Jake had long subsided to heartache she felt for Josh.

"C'mon let's go," said John, ushering her to follow him to the elevator.

Back in the hotel room, Josh was growing tired of the argument.

"Well you know what?" he began.

"I haven't see you do nothing! And this is my dad too!"

"That's right Jake, then start doin it!" Josh yelled from the chair he'd been sitting in by the bed.

Jake was standing directly in front of his brother, pointing his finger in Josh's face, "Fuck… you!"

"You better shut your mouth right the fuck now," Josh was now standing and pointing right back at Jake. "You shut your mouth, and you go ahead and start this." Josh began heading for the door.

"Oh is it gonna be a couple black eyes right now?"

"You won't gimmie a black eye. Do you wanna fuckin' grow up? Grow up! Cuz I don't need you shit!"

"Oh, oh yea Josh!"

Josh slammed the door, unwilling to deal with the situation any longer. Without a second glance, he stormed outside and saw John leaning up against the wall. After some friendly advice, Josh knew that the only person who could help Jake was himself. Finding Skye in a nearby chair, he put his anger aside. He switched places with her, and sat her in his lap. They sat in silence for a few moments, before Josh almost went off again. Skye held up her hand to stop him.

"Baby it's not your responsibility to make him sober. Only he can do that. Your responsibility now is being there for your father."

They tried to relieve some of the tension that the brothers confrontation had caused by having some time to themselves. Josh remained quiet though, and lit up a smoke in the truck on the way to dinner. He couldn't help but feel like the weight of his family was riding on his shoulders. Sitting in a back booth of a local restaurant, they barely spoke. Josh picked at his food, his appetite fading. Skye tried to lift his spirits but ended in failure. She felt her heart sinking into her stomach seeing him in this state. He covered his face with one hand while the other lay flat on the smooth table top. She gently rested her palm on top of his. He instantly intertwined his fingers with hers, gripping it tightly. Skye could tell that he wasn't willing to be out in public any longer. Not wanting to make a scene, she quietly led him out to the truck. He handed her the keys and climbed in the passenger seat, without protest and in no mood to drive. She stayed at the door and cared for the unpaid bill. Driving off down the main road, Josh rested his head against the window. His brown eyes were glazed over with exhaustion and he once again held Skye's hand refusing to let go. She glanced over at the man she loved crumbling before her eyes. A few tears threatened to escape but she quickly wiped them away. She nudged his shoulder after shutting off the engine, "Baby we're back." He stumbled out onto the concrete parking lot, almost falling over.

They reached their room and collapsed on the bed. Josh forced himself up and headed across the room to his duffle bag in search of basketball shorts. He kissed Skye on the forehead before slipping into the bathroom. Skye propped herself on her elbows and heard the stream of the shower cut on. She lacked the urge to move but gathered up enough strength to change. She stole Josh's navy blue CM t-shirt and threw on a pair of black sleep shorts. Throwing herself back onto the bed and too tired to pull on the covers, she was soon asleep. Within minutes, Josh had shut off the shower. The hot water only provided temporary relief. He pulled on his shorts, his only garment, reveling his chiseled chest. He dried his hair and soon found Skye already asleep. Chuckling, he threw the blankets over her and climbed in. Josh gathered her body in close, "Good night baby. I love you more than you'll ever know." Kissing her hair, he too was soon asleep.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: An emotional moment this chapter! I'm tryin my damndest to make this story as well written as possible! Though it may not be as good as others. Also all small flashbacks will be present in the prequel. And the incident with the nurse will be told in the scenes for** _ **After the Catch**_

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN! DON'T SUE ME!**

 **Chapter 17**

Days passed and Phil continued on the path to recovery. Josh, Skye, and John stayed vigil at his bedside. During one of their daily visits, Dr. Lada informed the trio that he was now recommending that Phil should be moved to a medical rehab center in Seattle. "When do you wanna do this?" asked Phil, who was holding Skye's hand. "Well, you've still got some tissue here that's swollen so we wanna wait till that sinks back in." Phil then asked about the upcoming crab season in September, and Dr. Lada left to go make his rounds. "Alright dad I'm gonna go call some of these people so we can work on getting you back home," said Josh. Skye nodded, kissed Phil on the forehead and followed Josh.

She sat in the waiting room, while Josh made phone call after phone call. After about 30 minutes, he came bounding back. He plopped down next to her, in an exuberant mood, "OK, I've got good news and better news."

"Aight what's the word babe?"

"Good news is we've got the ball rollin' on dad. The better news is that my little brother is finally gonna deal with his shit."

"You mean he's finally goin to…?" she asked, her voice trailing off.

"It's about damn time," replied Josh.

"Well I toldja baby, he had to have the want to help himself."

"Yea, I know."

Skye blew out a sigh, her face was buried in her hands. She was relieved for Jake, but the nagging worried fear for Phil was forever in the back of her mind. Josh quickly gathered her up in his arms and lifted her chin with his index finger. Her green/brown eyes met with his chocolate brown ones, and both felt a sense of peace. They shared a kiss and went to leave but halfway down the corridor, Skye stopped short. "Baby wait! I didn't get to say good-bye!" She half-ran her way back to the skippers' room. Josh just stood back and laughed.

"What the hell was that?" asked Todd.

"She won't leave until she says bye to Pop. It makes her feel better bout leavin' him."

"Okay?" Todd inquired again, raising an eyebrow.

"She thinks that if she misses sayin goodbye, somethin might go wrong and she won't get to," Josh explained.

"So she thinks that he will…? Before she…?" said Todd. Josh simply nodded his head, before Todd could finish his questions. Ever since they'd met Phil in the hospital, Skye absolutely refused to leave until she'd said her goodbyes. Her unadulterated fear that the skipper could lose the battle for his life outweighed all other emotions. She'd even begged one of the nurses to let her back in after a late night visit so she could do so, even though the visitor hours had ended.

Skye slowly opened the door and took a quick glance around. She cautiously made her way to Phil's bedside, stepping every which way to avoid the beeping machines and I.V lines. She squeezed his hand and spoke first, "Bye buddy. Get some rest. Josh and I love you."

"I love you too. Take care of Josh for me," he said in a groggy voice she couldn't quite understand.

"What's that?"

"Take care of Josh for me," he repeated.

"I will, I promise." He let go of her hand, falling asleep as she closed the door. Josh met her back in the hallway with an outstretched hand. Intertwining her fingers with his, they turned to leave. Looking back over her shoulder, Phil's request echoed in her mind. She absent mindedly squeezed Josh's hand. Josh knew something was up, but decided to let it lay low.

Driving to the airport the next morning with Jake and Skye, Josh felt somewhat at ease. All 3 were piled in the back seat of an SUV accompanied by Ryan. He was stating how proud he was of Jake, in the moment at hand. "Jake's takin a huge step. He's doin' it in the right way and the right time," he boasted. "I don't know if it's exactly the right _time,"_ Jake interjected in slight disagreement. Sitting between Skye and the window, he puffed on a cigarette. Pulling up to the doors of the airport, they both gave Jake their love.

"Behave! And do all the things they tell you. Love ya Jakers," said Skye.

"Yes Mom! I love ya too," responded Jake sarcastically. Giving him a hug, she climbed back into the car, allowing the 2 Harris boys some brotherly moments. Josh soon joined her, jumping into the driver's seat. "Well we've got one of the Harris's taken care of, now we're gonna be workin' on the other one", said Josh into the camera.

Back in their hotel room, Josh was asleep in Skye's arms. He was laying on his side with his face nestled in the crook of her neck. She held him almost like a child would a treasured stuffed animal: one of her arms was hooked tightly around his shoulders while the other cradled his head. Soon after they got back, he changed into nothing more than a pair of AND 1 white basketball shorts, hurled himself on the bed, and passed out. Skye was still dressed in black skinny jeans, a purple and black _Hurley_ thermal shirt, and a pair of black and purple Vans that matched her shirt; though the sneakers were no longer on her feet. Both the shirt and the shoes were gifts from Jake from her birthday the year before. He'd insisted on buying them for her, mostly because he'd resorted to teasing her about her country-girl style. Right before he'd fallen asleep, Skye had laid down next to Josh and he immediately wrapped himself up in her warmth. During the ride to the airport, Josh had been wearing a black zipper fleece jacket, dark denim jeans, and his black DC's. He'd also opted to spike his hair up instead of wearing his hat. They both were dressed in their CM jackets. Jake was dressed similarly to his brother but wore a light-weight green zip-up jacket with the hood up, light wash jeans, and DC's like Josh's. But even in this state, nothing seemed to put the brakes on her racing mind. She kept hearing Phil's request over and over again, "Take care of Josh for me." She looked down at Josh's sleeping form and gave him a light squeeze, his beard rubbing up against the side of her neck. Then without warning, she began sobbing. She tried to convince herself that Phil was going to be alright, that he wasn't giving up yet. But she couldn't help foresee his fate.

Josh stirred from his place on the bed, hearing the sounds of her sniffling. He pushed himself upright and leaned against the pillows. He stretched out his hand, holding her face.

"Angel?" he asked using the name he'd bestowed on her when they first began dating. "What's wrong?"

"Something's gonna happen to him. I just know it," she responded with tears streaming down her face and landing on Josh's palm.

"Angel you heard what the doc's been sayin'. He's gonna be okay, he's been doin' so good," said Josh trying to assuage her fear.

"I hope you're right baby because I ain't ready to lose him yet!" she exclaimed in an upset tone. She placed her hand over the top of his, but could feel the cool metal of the ring he always wore on his left index finger, the blue one she'd given him almost 2 years before. She smiled slightly, as the memories returned. It'd been right before their second fishing season as a couple (King Crab '08). She'd told him that it was a good luck present and that it's deep blue color reminded her of the ocean. Engraved in small cursive lettering was the phrase "Love You, Life, & The Bering Sea". She latched his hand in hers, turning it so that she could see the piece of jewelry. Josh noted that she was now slightly happier and that her tears had stopped flowing. He pressed his forehead against hers as she continued to examine the ring.

"It's still true ya know," he whispered tenderly.

"And it always will be," she concluded, reaching up to kiss him.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Emotional scenes this chapter! In the prequel, I'm changing Skye's background slightly. Btw, the convo between Josh and Phil at the beginning of this chapter comes straight from the show.**

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN!**

 **Chapter 18**

By the next evening, they were again at the hospital. Josh had gone to the skippers' bedside, leaving Skye waiting with John. Dan, one of Phil's old buddies, had gone in with him. Inside the machine-laden, antiseptic room, Josh was beginning to lose his grip on his emotions while standing next to his fathers' bed, holding Phil's hand in comfort.

"It's like whenever I was a kid, and you used to always come n' grab my hand whenever anything would go wrong. I just try 'n do that with you now," he said.

Phil began playfully squeezing his sons' hand roughly, just to prove he still had a powerful grip.

"Yea, okay we know you can squeeze!" exclaimed Josh. Phil tightened his grip around the area between Josh's thumb and index finger, giving a sly grin. "C'mon don't do that! Okay, alright, yea you got power, c'mon. He gets me right here ya know? This hurts. Look, my hand is bright red now." Josh examined his hand, flexing his fingers to be sure they were still in working order. He looked back down at his ill and broken father.

"I'm sorry," apologized Phil.

"Why?" asked Josh.

"When you were growing up, I should have been a better father," he confessed. He always felt a certain guilt that he let his sons down being gone fishing most of their lives. Also that some of the other decisions he made in his life could've benefitted his boys better than they did.

"Dad, you've been the best father you could ever have been. Don't ever say that, don't ever apologize for that. You taught me great skills. You've taught me everything I need to know to be a man. And I'm gonna take care of ya as best as I fuckin' possibly can. I don't give a shit. I love ya buddy."

"I love you. I love you too"-Phil

A stray tear began running down Phil's face and Josh wiped it away. Phil kissed his fingers and placed them on Josh's forehead. Josh leaned over with a hand on his fathers' shoulder and kissed his forehead in return.

"I'm trying to be strong here. I do love ya, dad. I mean this has been really hard for me, this whole thing. I'm trying to be like, good." Josh was desperately trying to hold back the tears in his eyes. Through the whole ordeal, Josh was hell bent on being the one that everybody looked to during this difficult time with Phil. Also, he hated crying in front of others, he didn't ever want anyone to think of him as a coward.

"I know that."- Phil

Josh's voice began to waver as a lump rose in his throat, "I don't like cryin' in front of people, especially you. I've just been tryin' to…" He began sniffling, knowing the dam behind his eyes would burst at any moment. "This is hard, but you're doin' so good," he finally managed to utter before he began truly crying. "Doin' good, doin' good though." He turned to leave but not before sending his love to Phil one last time, "I love you so much dad." Walking past the camera he cursed himself for letting his emotions get the best of him by yelling, "Damnit!"

He returned to the waiting room, wiping his face. Sitting down next to Skye, he took 1 look into her eyes and lost it. Josh buried his face in her lap, allowing the tears to come, knowing that there were no cameras to see him cry. Skye stroked his hair and laid an arm across his back.

"I'm tryin- I'm tryin'to be good! I tried to be strong, but I just can't do it," said Josh through the flood.

"I know that baby," Skye told him soothingly. She cupped his face, lifting it so that their eyes met. "But honey, who told you that you had to do this alone? For once let me be strong for you. You don't always hafta be the tough guy." She pulled him into her chest. "Oh baby, I'm sorry! If I could take this all away I would. But, you don't hafta do this by yourself!" she whispered close to his ear.

"Thanks Angel. I know that now. I love you so much." He'd always tried to be the tough guy whenever life took a turn down a wrong road. But he was beginning to realize that he needed to have his Angel there for him as much as he was needed to be there for her and everyone else.

"I love you so much too baby." Josh clung to her small frame for what seemed like hours. That was until Todd walked in and both heads snapped up to face the producer.

"Skye, Phil's askin' for ya hun," he informed her.

"Okay, I'll be right there. Josh baby, are you gonna be okay?" she asked. Josh nodded his head, still too emotional to speak. She kissed him and followed Todd.

Once out of sight of the waiting room, Todd spoke up.

"Is he gonna be alright?" he inquired, camera in hand but not turned on.

"Yea, he'll be fine. He's just been tryin' so hard to be strong for everyone else, he forgot that it's my job to do the same for him," she responded.

The pair entered the room and pulled back the curtain that separated the skipper's bed from the door. Todd resumed filming, his camera back on his shoulder. Skye pulled up a chair next to Phil's bedside and immediately reached for his calloused, rough hand.

She attempted to smile, "Hey buddy."

"Hi hun. I need ya to do somethin' for me."

"Yea?" asked Skye, wondering what other request he had in store.

"I need you to tell Jake I'm sorry. And tell both the boys I love 'em and that I'm proud."

"Why would you be sorry?"

"Because when they were little, I wasn't father of the year."

She'd heard stories of the old man's past, but she never thought that he still harbored that guilt even now.

"Don't ever be sorry for that. The boys love you dearly, and I do too. You've taught them well and they know that. But I tell 'em."

"I love you too. Just take care of the boys for me, especially Josh. And keep 'em out of trouble."

Before she could even respond, she began crying. Sniffling, she kissed the captain's head.

"I will, Phil. You're my second dad. And I'm gonna be right here with ya, I ain't goin nowhere. But, don't you give up on us yet. You're doin' so well already. I love you so much, buddy." She kissed his head one last time and buried her face in his broad shoulder for a few moments. His hand went limp as he soon fell asleep. One of the nurses poked her head in, informing the group that visiting hours for the day were over. She quickly left the room, knowing she too would start sobbing again, and made her way back to Josh. Still seated in his chair, she melted into his arms and continued crying. He held her close to his muscular body in his lap until her tears had stopped shedding. She wrapped her arms around his neck, meeting her lips with his in a salty kiss. Wiping her face, Josh led her outside. She always marveled at how gentle yet strong his hands felt to her, despite their rough callousness from 4 years of demanding deck work.

Making it back to the hotel, neither of them slept a wink. They were too emotionally wracked and their minds refused to rest. Skye was almost beginning to get the feeling that their captain would lose the battle for his life. She felt as if Phil's final request from her was a signal that the skipper was giving up hope. Curling up next to Josh, she pushed the thought away. Looking up at Josh, she knew that he was thinking the same thing.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Phil passes away this chapter. I hope I did it justice cuz there were some tears shed while writing this one. Also the convo between Skye, Josh and Phil are form the show, just tweaked a lil bit. RIP Skipper! We miss you dearly and you will forever be greatly loved and respected. I only wish you could have lived long enough to hand over the keys. You taught us to make shit happen instead of watching shit happen or wondering what the hell happened. I'll have a Duck Fart just for you! (A Duck Fart is a shot of alcohol made of Crow Royal and Bailey's Irish Cream or Kahlua). And don't worry, the ring that Phil gave Josh will be explained soon!**

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN! DON'T SUE!**

 **Chapter 19**

The next morning, Skye rose out of bed first. Drawing back the curtain to the window, she was met by a beautiful Alaskan winter morning: freshly fallen snow blanketed the ground, residual flakes sprinkling from the clouds, and snow-capped mountains gleaming in the distance. The sun was just beginning to peak over the rocky horizon, meeting with a crystal blue sky. To most people, the scenery would have been a cause for a new dawn to a perfect day, but for Skye the winter wonderland might as well been a storm front forming on the Bering Sea. "This is WAY too damn perfect. Somethin's gonna hit the fan today, I just know it," she thought. She'd been so entranced by her thoughts, that she'd barely noticed a pair of warm muscular arms snaking around her waist as she continued to stare out the window pane. Knowing it was Josh, she turned and greeted him with a welcoming kiss. A kiss which turned into a mini make out session on the bed.

"Well good morning to you too baby," she said when they'd stopped trading kisses.

"Mornin' Angel," he replied back, stretching his boxer clad body over the mattress. He'd often say that he hated wearing shirts in bed, preferring only board shorts or boxers. Skye knew all too well that it was just another way Josh loved to tease her with his looks. She leaned her head into his shoulder, taking in his scent. She could've laid there forever: curled up next to Josh in his protective arms, forgetting about their troubles, kissing his stiff yet soft lips every so often. But life had other plans.

"Angel as much I love layin' here, we gotta get up," he said, breaking the silence and stroking her cheek.

"I know my baby, I've just been postponing it," she admitted. Leaving the comforts of bed, they rushed to dress. Josh threw on a red and black _Hurley_ t-shirt with a black long sleeve tee underneath, jeans, and his black DC's. He slung on his CM jacket. The finishing touches were his crab necklace, ring, and hat. Skye threw on a blue DC long sleeve tee, boot cut jeans, and black DC's. She too wore her CM jacket and covered her hair with a white knit hat. She'd already been wearing her crab necklace and her Celtic knot, refusing to take it off ever since she got it.

After a quick breakfast of pancakes at the local IHOP, the idea being Josh's, they picked up Todd and drove to the hospital. Josh lit a cigarette in the car and finished it right before the entered the parking lot. Ever since they landed in Anchorage, they spent almost every waking hour in and out through the slick glass doors of that antiseptic institution. They went straight to Phil's room, holding hands the entire way.

They stood at the skippers' bedside, Josh was holding his fathers' hand.

"You're looking real good today, lookin' sharp with your goat cut a lil better," Josh observed after they'd been there a few minutes.

"Rub my hand would ya?" asked Phil.

"Yea, fuck yea dad," replied Josh as he began massaging Phil's hand. He began with Phil's palm, then wrist, and would end with each finger.

Phil turned to Skye. "Where'd I leave the gold?" he asked in reference to his necklace that were like her and Josh's.

"Josh has it. He's got it in our room," she replied.

"That' my good luck bracelet," Phil said groggily.

"What's that?" she asked.

"The necklace, that's my good luck necklace," he restated.

"Yea its good luck, but I got it. I'll bring it tonight okay?" Josh interjected.

Turning toward Skye again, "Is it snowin out there?" He asked.

"No, but it was sprinklin' a lil bit this mornin'," she said. They could both tell that the captain was beginning to fall asleep. Josh finished rubbing his hand, letting it fall back on the bed.

"Okay dad, get some sleep. I'll see ya tonight, I love ya buddy," said Josh.

"Love ya, Phil."

"I love you," said Phil before falling asleep again.

The rest of the day Skye felt the same uneasy feeling she'd had ever since she woke up. She tried to hide it from Josh but she couldn't help but felt like everything was going just too well, especially after they'd gone back to the hotel to get Phil's necklace. She kept waiting for the other shoe to fall on her. Getting back into the truck, Josh pulled his phone from his pocket. With an already lit cigarette dangling from his mouth, he checked his voicemail. At the top of the list was a message from Phil's neurologist.

"Josh its Dr. Lada. Your dad just had another event, we are trying to do everything we can for him but you need to come back to the hospital."

"Oh shit! Angel, hurry up we gotta go!" he almost screamed in a hurried tone.

"Sweetheart what's wrong?" she asked, hopping into the passenger side and slamming the door.

"Somethin's wrong with dad. We gotta get to the hospital right now," he informed her, worry painting every word as he roared the engine to life.

Within a blink of an eye they were running through the hospital corridors, up to the 3rd floor waiting room. Upon entering, both Dan and John were seated at the small round table in the middle of the room. Josh and Skye sat by John with Skye between them. Josh pulled his father's necklace out of his pocket and laid it on the smooth table top.

"He wanted me to bring his necklace down for good luck," said Josh.

John piped up, "He's not goin down without a fight. He never has."

"And he never will," finished Skye, burying her face in Josh's shoulders. The room was still as each passing moment dragged on to the next. All 4 began praying that this living nightmare would soon come to an end, with their beloved friend and father making it through. But none prayed harder than Josh. He'd never been very religious, even as a child. Now, it was the only thing he could do to keep his sanity intact. His hands were clamped together as his elbows rested on the table. He leaned his head against his hands. "Please, please save my father. Please let him make it through this alive, I'm not ready for him to die," he prayed over and over. Skye sat in utter silence, hoping for a miracle but searching for words of comfort at the same time. Eventually she gave up by hooking her arm through Josh's and resting her head atop his shoulder. After what seemed like an agonizing eternity, Dr. Lada joined the group. A roomful of eyes stared up at him, anxious to hear what had become of Phil.

He opened his mouth to deliver the one piece of news no doctor ever wants to give, "We've been working on him for over an hour, and sometimes you just got to give up. I'm sorry but we lost him."

Josh felt an instant hit of numbness. Skye sat in shock, feeling complete and total disbelief, already in quite tears. John quickly left the room, cursing the doctors' names until he disappeared from sight. It wasn't until about 5 minutes later when Josh called Jake with the news that Skye broke down.

She listened as Josh's voice cracked while he spoke to his little brother, "Jake, I don't know how to tell you this but, um…. Fuck! We lost dad dude." Without a sound, she walked out into the hallway and leaned up against the dry wall. Her eyes stared vacantly into space, tears streaming down her face. As soon as Josh came into her view, her body went limp. Josh caught her and simply lowered them both on their knees. She began to sob with such grief her whole body shook like a leaf on a windy day. Josh simply held her while she cried, shedding his own tears of grief. Skye sobbed in his arms until she couldn't anymore. She tried to stand up on wobbly legs but almost fell back to the ground. Josh caught her again and led her back into the waiting room. Instead of sorting out plans to bring Phil home, they began plans for the skipper's funeral. Josh soon called the boat, informing Freddie of the loss.

They soon drug their emotionally exhausted bodies back to the hotel. Although both were drained, neither of them could sleep. Josh collapsed on the bed first after making arrangements for the flight back to Seattle. Skye took one glance at Josh's face and her heartache returned. She began sobbing once more. Josh ushered her in with outstretched arms.

"C'mere Angel. I'm here," he said trying his best to comfort her through the pain. Skye buried her face in Josh's chest and they both cried themselves to sleep.

 **~Captain Phil Harris: December 19, 1956-February 9, 2010. Safe journey Skipper ~**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Phil's funeral! The gas tanks used to hold Phil's ashes I found out are basically steel urns that were created by Killer Paint Company. The tanks will be described in the chapter but if you want a better visual, google "Phil Harris Deadliest Catch gas tanks". Images for the tanks will pop up there. And I decided not to go into too much detail on the funeral itself. They cremated Phil because, according to Josh, he wanted his ashes spread on the Bering Sea. Also because I don't mention it here but I will in the sequel, the FV** _ **Wizard**_ **did what's known as "suit casing" a full pot of crab, which means they dumped one of the pots over the sided of the boat with the crab still inside, in memory of Phil. They also placed a buoy inside that read: "If this pot is found, leave in memory of Phil Harris 2010"**

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN!**

 **Chapter 20**

The days that followed were like a blur for both Skye and Josh. One moment they were in Anchorage grieving the loss of their captain and father, and the next they were back home in Monroe. Todd and Ryan had returned to St. Paul to reunite with the crew, and they'd be seeing Jake in the next few days.

Between the times they arrived back in Washington until the funeral, Josh and Skye's lives went into overdrive. Instead of hospital visits they turned their attention to giving Phil a sendoff fit for a king of the sea. Josh, Jake, and their mother planned the event while Skye became the unofficial secretary/assistant. Although, Skye became increasingly worried about Josh. He looked haggard, like he hadn't slept in days and he'd just about refused to eat anything. His beard had gotten unkempt and dark circles were already forming under his eyes. He'd been thrust into all the decision making, so he barely had any time to actually grieve. She just prayed that he would make it through this ordeal without completely shattering to pieces.

On the morning of the funeral, Josh rolled out of bed first. He stumbled into the bathroom, trying not to disturb Skye. He showered quickly and trimmed back his beard into a neat trail across his jawline. Entering the room again, he saw that she was still asleep. He gently sat down on the edge of the bed and ran his fingers down her cheek. He placed a kiss on her pouted lips and smiled slightly.

"Angel wake up," he whispered in her ear. Her eyes fluttered open as she mustered herself upright. Rubbing her eyes, she gave Josh a sweet kiss, climbed out of bed and repeated a routine similar to that of Josh's. When she re-entered wearing her teal blue fluffy robe, Josh was almost fully dressed. He'd already pulled on his black dress pants and leather dress shoes, but was fidgeting with the buttons on a dark gray button down shirt with the cuffs turned upward.

"Need help fixin' it baby?" she asked softy, hugging him from behind.

"Couldja please?" he pleaded with a puppy-dog look in his eyes. For some reason, he'd accidently mismatched every button, causing the shirt to become noticeably uneven.

She evened them back up, then dressed herself. She wore a cranberry red scoop neck sweater, a black pleated skirt that stopped just above her knees, black leggings, and her high heeled black leather boots. Skye flat ironed her hair and Josh spiked his up in a mini Mohawk.

Descending down the stairs after putting on her 2 necklaces and doing what little makeup she wore, she found Josh sitting hunched over on the leather sofa, with his face in his hands. She kneeled down next to him and kissed his head. He looked up at her with a grieving and painful expression.

"Angel?" he said softly.

"Yea baby?" she responded, kneeling down in front of him so that they were eye to eye.

Josh sniffled slightly before answering her again, "It hurts."

Without a word she pulled his shoulders into her small arms, his head leaning in the crook of her neck. A few more of his tears escaped and landed on the soft material of her sweater.

"I know my love, and if I could take it away I would," she said into his ear. In that moment, Skye would've done anything to relieve the pain in Josh's soul. Watching his heartache before her eyes and knowing there was nothing she could do to stop it, scarred her deeper than any human-made weapon ever could.

She waited patiently while he dried his face. They soon left for Seattle, tightly holding each other's hand.

The funeral was somewhat brief. They'd chosen to have the ceremony itself at the burial site. Instead of a normal burial, Josh and Jake had their beloved father cremated and his ashes split between 2 custom painted Harley-Davidson gas tanks. They were both a candy apple red, but with 2 different designs. One was adorned with portraits of Josh, Jake, Phil with his dog, and their grandfather Grant Harris. Along the top were a set of dice, a playing card, and a picture of a Harley. Both Josh and Jakes' signatures were underneath their photos in gold. The other was also adorned with a portrait of Phil, but with the _Cornelia Marie_ crashing over the waves above his head. Off to the right side was a crab claw holding a Duck Fart. Directly underneath Phil's picture was: Capt. Phil Harris 1956-2010 in gold block letters. Toward the bottom on both was a yellow scrolled ribbon with 2 phrases in Old English black writing. The first said "Safe Journey" while the other said "Safe Passage". The site itself seemed utterly surreal. White chairs were spread all across a small grassy area and a mahogany table decorated with flowers stood at the forefront. Where a coffin would've been placed, were the 2 custom urns. Skye sat almost motionless in her seat next to Mary. They'd been placed in the middle of Josh and Jake: Mary on Jake's arm and Skye on Josh's. Grant, Phil's father, sat on the far end 2 seats down from Jake. Jake was wearing an all light gray suit with a bright blue tie, black DC's, and a black and red ball cap. Mary spontaneously grabbed Skye's hand and gave it a loving squeeze. Skye instantly began crying, her tears falling silently. She covered her eyes with her hands but before she could disguise it from Josh, he'd already draped his arm across her back and hugged her shoulders. She scooted closer to his side and leaned her head on his chest. When the formality ended, Josh glanced over at Jake with both brothers rising to their feet. They took hold of the urn with the portraits of them and their father, burying together in a vault just big enough for it to fit. As soon as his ashes were placed in the ground, Skye began crying slightly harder. The shock had worn off and she knew that Phil was really gone. She would never again hear his gravelly voice. Nor look into his steely blue eyes. But above all, she would never see him again. His face remained now only in photographs, on "Deadliest Catch", and in her memory. Skye wasn't all that surprised when Josh removed his dark sunglasses and walked off for a moment to be alone. When all was said and done, each person in the sea of people that had come to pay respects had gotten to say their goodbyes to the great Captain Phil Harris.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: A shortie! No more ATC one shots! Just gonna write them in with the rest of the story. Also adding in DC specials "Captain Phil Tribute" and "Deadliest Catch: Revelations"**

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN!**

 **Chapter 21**

A few days later, Josh and Skye were far from healing but one trial still remained: Do they return to the boat?

A week after Phil had been put to rest, Skye came home to find Josh's unopened, still full suitcases by the door and Josh sitting on the couch smoking a cigarette. She plopped down next to him and kissed him on the cheek.

"So headin' back to the boat?" she asked.

"It's what the old man would've wanted," he responded solemnly.

"Then I'm comin with you," she stated.

"I know, that's why I got yours too," Josh responded, pointing to the large red luggage bag next to his black one.

He pulled her in for a kiss before speaking again.

"Let's go finish what the old man started for us."

Within 2 days, the couple returned to where it all began. They met back with the _Cornelia_ crew as well as their new skipper, Derrick Ray. Hugs were given all around as they re-boarded the vessel.

10 weeks later, Skye and Josh were reaching the end of the longest Opilio season of their fishing careers so far. When Skye woke up on the last day at sea, she found Josh standing in Phil's old stateroom. Without a word, she simply hugged him around his torso.

"It's finally startin' to sink in. All of what's happened," said Josh.

"I know baby. But, Phil would've been proud…. Of both of you," replied Skye. While Josh and Skye returned fishing, Jake was in Palm Springs, California on his way to rehab.

The _Cornelia_ ended another painful season, with the couple unsure of where life would take them. But they both knew that as long as they had each other, they'd survive whatever curveball life threw at them.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:** _ **After the Catch**_ **chapter!** _ **After the Catch**_ **is a "round-table" 5 or 6 week mini-series that overviews a particular season of "Deadliest Catch". They usually air after the current season of DC, or right before the end of Opie's (second half of the show's season). All info on what ATC is and a full list of episodes can be found online, though I will preface which ones I'll be using. ATC episodes used in this chapter are: The** _ **Time Bandit**_ **and The Fleet.** __ **The ring that Josh got from Phil will finally be revealed in the next chapter! I'm not bothering too much with the public memorial they had for Phil. Because they only touch on it the one time. Lastly, cuz we fans found this out yesterday, RIP Captain Tony Lara (1956-2015). Lots of prayers and blessin's out to his family! (Tony Laura was one of Phil's good friends and takes over for Opillio in Season 7.)**

 **DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN! DISCOVERY DOES!**

 **Chapter 22**

After months of hardship, Skye, Josh, and Jake jetted off one last time before the start of the 2010 King Crab season in the fall. They were headed to New Orleans, Louisiana to film for the 4th installment of _Deadliest Catch's_ mini-series, _After the Catch._ A few weeks before, the trio along with all of the friends and family, plus thousands upon thousands of fans gathered in Seattle for a public memorial for Phil. Both Skye and Jake had elected Josh to speak on their behalf. They arrived at their destination 2 days before filming began, and were placed in a stately hotel on New Orleans highly regarded Frenchman's Street. They spent their fleeting hours of freedom exploring the sprawling southern city, and Skye even gave the boys a lesson or two about the voodoo culture. Seeing how she was southern, and the town she was from in South Carolina had a rich Gullah background, she knew how to answer simple questions. Though she knew she was no expert on the subject! Also, she and Josh spent the second evening out in celebration of their 3 year anniversary.

One the first day of filming, Skye headed down to the local hotspot and filming location known as The Blue Nile. The first episode being based that of the adventures of the _Time Bandit,_ so she'd been asked to join and fill in on what it was like to leave her former crew and captains. Jake stayed behind at the hotel, while Josh went along with her for moral support should anyone bring up Phil. She was glad to have his company, and knowing that she could easily slip away during a commercial into the safety blanket that was his arms should she need to for emotional comfort. She was dressed in a short-sleeve green wrap top with white polka dots & a white tank underneath, boot cut jeans, and brown cowgirl boots that had a slight heel. Her short brown hair was done in its usual way: spiked up in the back and her bangs straightened. She wore her silver Celtic Knot chain, her gold crab charm necklace, and a pair of white gold hoop earrings in her bottom 2 piercings, having 3 in each ear. The upper 2 holes were adorned with simple diamond studs. The couple arrived at the watering hole, and Skye instantly took her place right behind the camera. Josh kissed her deeply. "Good luck Angel. I love you, and I'll be right back here with Todd if you need me," he said after releasing her lips.

"Thank you my darlin'. I love you too." Josh quickly hugged her and turned away before she could see his cheeks burning. For some reason, he always began to blush whenever she used that name.

She waited patiently as the camera began to roll.

Sitting at the round table in front of her was their host and show narrator, Mike Rowe and the Captains: John, Andy, Keith, and Sig. As the minutes ticked by, they sifted through many harrowing adventures aboard the TB that year from Johnathan's fist fight with Keith at the beginning of King Season to the journey through "False Pass". They brought up Phil at one point, and Skye's emotions stayed solid. Mike Fourtner had joined the group after a while joining in about the perils of the deep, and as did Scotty. The episode was half-way through when footage of Greenhorn Jeremy Shelton from Opilio season came into the picture. Afterward, Mike began joking about Jeremy's "return."

Then he turned his attention to Skye.

"Now speaking of deckhands, John, you lost a trusted crewmember at the end of that King season right?"-Mike R

"Yea we lost our girl, man."-John

"Let's bring her out."-Mike R

Skye stepped from behind the shadow of the camera and took Scotty's place next to John.

"Skye Christensen joins us, formerly of the Time Bandit."-Mike R

"Thanks y'all its good to be here."-Skye

"Now, you switched boats on us!"-Mike R

"Yep! I left home, I left the nest." –Skye

"I think the question on everybody's mind is why?"-Mike R

"Long story short, I left cuz of a guy. I know that sounds pretty bad but it's true!" Skye exclaimed, laughing.

"Would that guy be Josh Harris?" asked Mike.

"Yea, it would," she admitted.

"For those who've never seen the show, Skye and fellow deckhand Josh Harris on the _Cornelia Marie_ have been dating for what 3 years now?" questioned Mike.

"Yep! Since '07."-Skye

"So what do you mean you left for a guy?"-Mike

"Well, the way I see it, why be apart when we don't have to? Why be on a different boat when we can avoid it? I mean, I knew when he and I became truly serious that I would make that switch. And I originally considered switching before King season, but I decided to give these guys one last run." –Skye

"Was it hard for you to leave this guys?"-Mike

"Absolutely! They've been like my family for the past 5 years of my life, 9 months outta the year. So leaving people that I've been so close too was definitely a hard pill to swallow. I mean, Mikey, Scotty and my other guys have been like my brothers. Of course, John's been like a dad to me so has Andy. But I knew that this would be the year I'd leave."- Skye

"One last thing, how was it working for Phil?"-Mike

Skye swallowed hard, "Uh-oh here we go" she thought. She quickly glanced over her shoulder only to see Josh's form standing next to the camera. At the same time, she couldn't help but smile.

"To put it simply, it's something that I'll always remember. It's something that I'll always treasure. Because few people can say that they fished the Bering Sea, and even fewer can say that they fished with the Late Great Captain Phil Harris. And I'm so honored that I can attest to both. Plus, it's something that if I was ever given the chance, I'd gladly do again."-Skye

"Well thanks for joining us, and we wish you well. We'll be right back after the break."-Mike

Skye stood up and hugs were given from everyone. Once out of sight, she half ran into Josh's awaiting arms. She could already feel a small lump rising in her throat and a few tears escaped. Upon arriving back at their hotel, Josh was relieved to see that Skye wasn't in a fit of tears. And he prayed that it would stay that way as he eyed his bag containing a small velvet ring box.

Their time in Louisiana was numbered, and soon came another day of filming ATC.

This time, it was focused on the fleet as a whole. Both Josh and Skye were asked to join as well as CM deckhand Freddy Maugatai. Josh had on a white "Korkd" Skateboard brand t-shirt with black writing, jeans and his DC's. As always his crab necklace hung around his neck and a large black watch adorned his wrist. Skye had on a purple cowgirl like shirt with quarter sleeves, hip hugger jeans, and her boots.

Sitting round the table in New Orleans, Louisiana was Mike Rowe, Josh, Skye, Freddy and the Captains: Andy, John, Keith, and Sig. During the break, Skye had grown nervous. Right after the commercials began, Mike Rowe had called her out to join the group. He and the guys backstage had asked her if she minded if they showed the never-seen footage of her reaction to the Cornelia Marie generator shutting down when she arrived. Not only was it never before seen by the fans but also by the rest of the fleet, especially Josh. She seated herself between Josh and Freddy, and took a sip of the beer in front of her. The camera panned over, and show resumed.

"We're back with After the Catch and joined by the usual suspects with Josh Harris and Freddy Maugatai. Also joining us during the break is Skye Christensen. How ya doin' darlin'?"

"Doin well so far."

"Now, before the break, we witnessed a strong brotherly bond. But, I wanted to show some tape that hasn't aired yet of you and Andy. And it shows a much different type of bond. Let's take a look."

Right before she'd joined the table, Mike had shown footage of Josh and Freddy having a heart to heart. It was then that Josh had ultimately decided for him and Marie to leave the boat and fly to Anchorage. Skye gave Josh's hand a light squeeze under the table. She smiled, but was praying that Josh wouldn't get emotional. He'd been through enough lately and she didn't want to give him more cause for grief. Still, she knew that he'd find out sooner or later. Might as well be now.

The tape:

 _Skye is sitting in John's chair with the alarm blaring through the phone receiver followed by dead silence. "Josh? Hunny you there? Joshua?" questioned Skye a few times, but received no answer. A few moments later, she buried her face in her arms. A river of tears soon flooded her eyes. Andy was the first to return to the wheel. He placed a loving hand on her shoulder, shaking it gently. Raising her head, she faced him with bleary eyes and tear stained cheeks. "Darlin' what happened? Did you and Josh get in a fight?" he asked. She shook her head before finally speaking, "I don't know what hap-happened. We were about to say good-bye when an alarm went off and then the line went dead. I tried callin his name a few times, but I got no answer. Ohmygod!" She suddenly got extremely panicked and lost all control. She began crying again and sunk to the floor, her entire body shaking. Andy lowered himself to the floor and hugged her after helping her up._

"Wow! Skye, what was goin on in your mind?" asked Mike.

"Honestly, fear. I was scared shitless somethin was gonna happen to him and I began to fear the worst. Cuz whenever an alarm goes off onna boat, it's never a good sign. So to go from hearing his voice one moment and then alarm then nothing, it absolutely terrified me. So I just lost it. And it's without a doubt one of the most frightening experiences of my life. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. And I think that most people watchin' at home are thinkin that I overacted, and they'd probably be right. But when it's someone you love, and you don't know if you're gonna hear that mayday call or not, it's different."

Josh just stared at her before wrapping her up in a hug. He whispered in her ear, "Angel, I'm sorry! God I'm so sorry!" over and over. When he released his grip, Mike spoke first.

"Josh how're you feeling watchin all this unfold?"

"I just wish I was there. I had no idea that she'd gotten that upset."

"Because I didn't want you to," Skye interjected.

"Why?"-Mike

"Because I didn't want that on his conscience while we were out there. Even though our boat was headed back to town, I didn't know if theirs was. I knew that they were close to it, cuz that's one of the few times that he ever called me. But, I didn't know for sure. And I begged, _begged_ Andy not to say anything to him about it cuz I was so dead set against him knowin."-Skye

"Does it bother you now though?"-Mike

"Not anymore. Not after _all_ the BS we've been through this season. I mean, we've been through one of the worst personal tragedies anybody could ever go through. Not just separately, but also as a couple. So when you take that into consideration, my reaction to what happened, seems like nothing now."-Skye

"We've seen brotherhood of the sea, but also love on the sea. And that was it."-Mike

Throughout the rest of the filming Skye stayed quiet. She held onto Josh's hand while he occasionally puffed on an electric cigarette. He and Jake had both bought one to try and kick their nicotine habit. She was proud of both of them for their efforts to quit smoking. Having nothing more to say, she locked her hand with Josh's. She knew the road ahead of them was even longer now without Phil, but she knew that they'd make it through.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: The ring revealed! And ATC episode The Good Captain Phil this chapter! We miss you skipper! Also, all the "cast members" were given black T-shirts honoring Phil. Although, Josh cut the sleeves off of his.**

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN!**

 **Chapter 23**

The day or two that followed made Josh antsier by the minute. They were set to film the very last episode of ATC, and it was all about the Good Captain Phil. But Josh's mind was on something very different entirely.

The morning of the last day of filming, Josh rolled out of bed eager to get the day underfoot. He went about his morning routine without a hitch. When Skye awoke, he greeted her like he always did. She'd showered the night before, so when she left the room to give Jake a wakeup call he put his plan into action. He quickly dressed in a dark gray and black Affliction t-shirt, his usual dark jeans, and his black leather dress shoes. He put on his watch and necklace. With Skye still gone, he snuck into her suitcase and laid out her favorite spaghetti strap sundress, white sandal wedge heels, and her earrings. He'd insisted that she bring the outfit under the pretense of going out in it. The dress was predominately black with large white polka dots and ruffles on the bodice. It was also somewhat short, with a skirt that stopped in the middle of her thighs. Laying the items on the bed, he wrote a note that read: "Put these on and meet me downstairs. I love you Angel-Josh." Right before he left he stashed the ring box in his pocket and grabbed a small back pack off a nearby chair that Skye had filled the night before with both of their black "Captain Phil Harris" tribute T-shirts, her daisy dukes and a pair of her flip flops. While she'd been asleep, he snuck his black button down dress shirt and a white tie in the bottom of the bag. Making his getaway, he slipped downstairs and awaited her return.

When Skye walked back into the room, she was surprised that Josh was already gone. She was equally surprised to see the outfit laid out for her with the note. Following its instructions, she dressed and did her hair and make-up. Grabbing her bag, phone and keycard, she waltzed down to the lobby where Josh was waiting by the door.

She kissed his cheek and grabbed his hand as they walked out onto the sidewalk. While they made their way to the bar on foot, which was only a 10 minute walk from the hotel, Skye spoke first.

"Okay baby, why am I supposed to be dressed like this?" she asked motioning to her wardrobe.

"You'll see," he said slyly.

"Ok, but I hope you remembered the bag that has our other stuff in it. Cuz I didn't see it in the chair."

Josh smiled and held up the bag in question, "No worries! I grabbed it before I left."

"Ok good! Let's go!"

They arrived at the destination and Josh was immediately on edge. He jumped a mile high when Jake tapped him on the shoulder soon after the couple walked in the door.

"Does she know yet?" whispered the youngest Harris, who had somehow beaten them. The night before, Josh had admitted to Jake that he was finally going to pop the question to Skye.

"Not a clue. But bro I'm so nervous," admitted Josh.

"You'll be fine," said Jake.

They soon joined the familiar round table and began swapping Phil stories. Josh's anxiety grew with each passing second, but he appeared calm on the surface. The stories of their fallen captain ebbed into the Harris boy's determination to keep the legacy of the _Cornelia Marie_ alive.

"We're back with After the Catch. We've heard stories from his boys and now I think it's Skye's turn to tell some Phil tales. And you had something happen with one of the nurses?"

"Yea, I got this nurse who was workin' the night shift, to let me back in so I could say good bye after one of the others kicked us out. So to convince this woman to let me back in, I told her that Phil was my father."-Skye

"Did you really?"-Mike

"Hell yea! One of my favorite stories happened last Christmas when got him a box set of Meerkat Manor. I thought he was gonna be pissed, but no. Instead he popped in one of the DVD's and started watchin it. This big tough, fisherman/biker, arms covered in tattoos, watchin little fuzzy animals on Animal Planet."-Skye

"He loved those meerkats! But I gotta ask, what was with you and needin to say good bye?"-Mike

"Haha! It was mostly a self-comforting thing than anything else. It just made me feel better really."-Skye

"And do you think that these guys can make it happen?" asked Mike, pointing to Josh and Jake.

"Oh without a doubt. They'll raise hell out on that ocean, y'all just wait n' see!" exclaimed Skye, who at that moment hadn't realized that Josh was no longer sitting next to her.

"Now Josh you…." Mikes voice trailed off when he saw that Josh was nowhere to be found.

Skye looked over to find the stool that he'd been sitting on was now empty. She turned back to Mike and shrugged her shoulders.

Looking over at Jake she asked, "Jacob where'd your brother go?"

"He had to go do somethin' real quick. He's still here, he's just back there," Jake informed her pointing to the back of the room.

"O-oh okay," Skye stammered in confusion.

"We'll be back," said Mike cutting to commercial.

In the back of the room, Josh had already changed his shirt and was fumbling with his tie. When Todd came in to check on him, he looked up at the producer with both excitement and need. Todd laughed, knowing why Josh was having trouble.

"Here man, lemme help ya out!" said Todd.

"Thanks bud! I've never put one of these damn things on by myself. I hardly ever wear em, and when I do Skye usually ties it for me," Josh admitted.

"I got it for ya, by the way," replied Todd, after Josh was situated. When they'd arrived, Josh had asked him to buy a single pink rose that he could present to Skye.

"Thanks brotha. I can't believe I'm actually gonna ask her."-Josh

"I always knew you would. Let's face it man, you've always loved her."-Todd

"She's my world."-Josh. He walked back out into the bar area, but stayed hidden behind the cameras. He knew that this was it, this was the moment that he'd officially make Skye his.

"Well folks we're back with After the Catch. And Josh has done a disappearing act on us. Skye do you…?" asked Mike wondering if she knew anything.

"I have no clue about what's goin' on right now," said Skye adamantly.

"I think you will now," said Jake.

Skye gave him a confused look when Josh tapped her on the shoulder. He was now wearing the black button with the sleeves cuffed up and the white tie. He handed her a rose that he'd gotten Todd to get for him.

"Oh my god, Joshua!" said Skye in complete shock as she stood up. "Baby what are you…?"

He pulled the ring box out of his pocket.

He held her fingers looking into her eyes as he spoke, "Angel, we've truly been through hell and back this year. And you've been there for me every step of the way. You've wiped my tears away when I've cried, you've fixed me when I've been broken, and you've loved me for me through all of it. I know that you're the one I was meant to live this life with." He got down on one knee and opened the box. Inside was an antique diamond ring that had belonged to Phil's mother, Phyllis. Skye started to tear up as she clasped her right hand over her mouth. "Skye Christensen, will you marry me baby?" he finally asked.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. He placed the ring on her finger and stood up again. She hugged his neck and they shared a deep, loving kiss. The room was soon full of applause.

Soon Todd joined the table and spoke of him and Phil's friendship and about Phil's time in the hospital. Phil had wanted Todd to film the end of his story, the end of his life. Skye teared up slightly, but couldn't be happier as she hung onto Josh's arm. When the couple plus Jake re located to the bar right behind the table, Josh removed his black shirt and tie. He'd kept his T-shirt on underneath. They shared intermitted kisses and Skye couldn't help but admire her ring.

"It's beautiful baby. I love it," she whispered as Josh pulled her into his lap.

"You're welcome Angel. So did I surprise you?" he asked.

"That was pretty damn obvious, don'tcha think? I just wish the old man was here. I miss him so much," she asked back, hooking her arms around his neck.

"I do too baby girl. But, he's still with us. And I know he's smiling down on both of us right now," said Josh, kissing her again.

"If he was, he'd probably have us on our 3rd round of Duck Farts!" said Jake laughing. The trio shared a laugh, and in that moment Josh could hear his father's voice.

"Congratulations Joshua! She's the best damn thing that's ever happened to you, so don't you ever lose her. I love ya, son."

'Thanks pop. I love you too,' he thought.

They enjoyed a few drinks at the bar while the merry bunch in front of them told more tales. Todd Stanley soon rejoined the group after leaving for a brief time with emotional moments from his time of documenting Phil's final moments. Phil's old buddies Hugh Gerard and Dan Mittman took the young trio's place at the table. The day ended with a jazz band and a large crowd of fans to celebrate Phil's life. While the captains shared their last thoughts, Skye changed into her extra outfit and joined the rowdy crew outside. In the middle of the chaos, stood Josh and Skye. They kissed again and Skye looked up into the clear blue sky.

"Thank you Phil, thank you for bringing Josh into this world just for me. I'll always take care of him. I promise," she prayed silently.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: I wanted to go all out on this one, the wedding night scene will be much of the same maybe a lil extra. This is Skye and Josh's last day in New Orleans and their return home. Btw, "Mikey" is Mike Fourtner and "Mike" is Mike Rowe. Jeff Conroy is the executive producer of "Deadliest Catch".**

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN!**

 **Chapter 24**

When the celebration of a life lost ended, another celebrating a life anew began. That night, everybody joined up for dinner to congratulate the newly engaged couple. Josh wore the same outfit he'd worn at the time of the proposal. As for Skye, she wore a white 50's style halter dress with a pleated skirt and her platforms. The dress was an exact replica of that of iconic blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe. Josh took a glance at his fiancé right as they were headed out and was instantly star struck. She was his little brunette Marilyn Monroe with a Loretta Lynn attitude. They finally met up with the group at a local soul food restaurant. The group allowed Skye pick the location, since she'd long discovered her taste buds intolerance for fiery Cajun cuisine during their time in the Big Easy. So, she decided on the southern home cooking she adored so much. After the meal, many toasts were given, including: all four captains, plus Mikey, Scotty, Edgar, Jake Anderson, Freddy, and Mike. Others who'd raised their glasses to speak were those who'd also been present that day: various members of the "Deadliest Catch" production team who were close to the couple like Todd and Jeff Conroy, as well as Hugh and Dan who'd known Josh all his life. At the end of a long list of congratulators was Jake. All the toasts up until this point had been by means of champagne filled glasses. Jake opted for a round of Duck Farts for himself and the couple instead of the golden bubbly liquid. He raised his shot glass and stood.

"I just wanna say congrats to my brother and my soon to be new sister. Bro, you've definitely found a keeper, cuz our insanity hasn't driven her off and she's still willing to stay! And Skye, you're a true Harris now! I love ya both and I know that you'll be happy together. Cheers!" Jake ended his speech with hugs from the couple.

The last toast of the evening was given by Skye. She stood tentively as all eyes fell on her. She held up a Duck fart and spoke, "I wanna thank y'all for all the love and for comin' out tonight. We've had a long, hard fought season. Not just Josh, Jake, and I but everybody here. And though we lost one of our own this year, I know he's still with us. So thank y'all for all the support, especially when our hearts are still sore even during these times of joy. And too Phil, we miss you skipper! We love you! I know you'll always be smiling down on us. Lastly…" Her voice trailed off as she turned toward Josh, ushering him to his feet. She held his hands just like he'd done earlier, looking deep into his enchanting brown eyes. Taking a deep breath, she spoke again, "I wanna say thank you to my wonderful fiancé. Thank you for healing my heart when it was aching, for holding me when I've needed comfort, and for taking me in as family even when I didn't think I had one. You've given me the greatest love I've ever known. I love you so much baby, and sometimes I believe that that isn't enough to sum up my feelings for you. I can't wait to start our life together." She finished her speech as Josh held her close. When she looked up again, she noticed tears in his eyes. "Aww baby! Why're you cryin'?" she said, slightly chuckling and wiping his face.

"Because I love you too," he said simply. Then he pulled her in for one of many kisses. Their friends cheered them on then dispersed. Most of them went to the restaurants' bar, including Jake. The couple said their goodbyes and went back to their hotel.

Entering the lobby, they could barely keep their hands off each other. Josh grabbed Skye's hips and pulled her into a deep kiss, his tongue exploring her mouth. A soft moan emanated from the back of her throat. They finally managed to reach the elevator and Josh once again pulled Skye's body into his. He placed a hand on her cheek and stared into her eyes.

"I always knew you'd be mine, Mrs. Harris," he said.

"So did I, Mr. Harris," she responded, smiling.

They reached the door to their room with haste, slamming it shut with a loud bang. Josh, having already kicked off his socks and shoes, wound his arms around Skye from behind as his fingers began undoing her dress. She leaned into his chest as her dress hit the floor. She turned to face him in only a white lace strapless bra and thong. She placed kissed on his neck as she undid his shirt and loosened his tie, both joining her dress. She quickly kicked off her heels and wrapped her arms around Josh's neck. He picked her up, her legs now around his waist, and laid her down on their bed. Josh unhooked her bra and Skye undid his pants. Both were flung into the heap in the middle of the room. Josh dipped his fingers below the thin band of her thong, pulling it off in one smooth motion. He gently spread her legs open, massaging the inside of her thighs with his hands. He inserted 2 fingers into her warm depths and captured one of her nipples between his lips. "Oh baby! That feels so good!" she moaned in pleasure as her hands entangled themselves in his hair. He increased his speed, causing her to moan more and bring her over the edge. "Yes! Yes! Baby, I'm gonna...," her voice trailed off as she felt an overwhelming tingling sensation. "Go ahead Angel, we've got all night," he whispered, slamming his fingers back in. She soon came hard all over his hand, moaning incoherently. Josh wiped off his hand across the back of his boxers as Skye rose and pushed him down on his back. "Mine turn now," she said in a sultry voice. Josh shuddered with pleasure, watching Skye yank off his boxers. His half hard member sprung out from the confines of the fabric. With a warm hand, she pumped his member to full hardness with gentle fingers and turned her lips to his neck and chest. Josh threw his head back against the pillow.

"Damn that's good!" he yelled out.

She followed the trail of black hair on his torso before descending down on him. Josh clutched the back of her head, his brain melting into a puddle of lust.

"Oh god Angel! Feels so good! Don't stop, don't stop!"

His cock came out of her mouth with an erotic pop. "You gonna shoot for me, baby?" she asked.

He nodded feverishly as she returned her lips to his member. Bitter, salty fluid soon filled her mouth as she took it all. She climbed back up to face Josh and uttered one of her favorite sentences, "Josh, make love to me baby."

Josh flipped them over once more and slid on a condom. He slowly entered her as the room filled with wordless moans. Josh picked up his pace and tried to contain himself. But, his body had other plans as Skye's walls closed around him, "So good baby! So…. Oh God!" They came together hard, moaning each other's names. Josh got up and cleaned them both off. He gathered her in close, and held up her left hand. He kissed her ring, then her lips. Within moments, they were both sound asleep.

The next morning, they were up, packed, and headed to the airport back to Washington. Josh grew nervous about the unavoidable trip home. He was still in shock over Phil's death despite him and Skye's engagement. He focused his mind back on keeping the legacy of his father and the _Cornelia_ alive. As the small plane took off, he glanced over at Skye and gently squeezed her hand. She turned and smiled, as if to say, "I'm here, it'll be okay." Somehow, Josh got the sense that it all would be.


End file.
